Giants' Martinez 1st foreign-born pitcher to earn 250 saves

TOKYO - Raidel Martinez became the first foreign-born pitcher to earn 250 saves in Nippon Professional Baseball on Thursday as the Yomiuri Giants beat the Chunichi Dragons 5-3.

With this milestone, Martinez became eligible for membership in the Meikyukai, which is open to players with 2,000 hits, 200 wins or 250 saves in Japan, as well as those whose combined NPB and Major League Baseball totals reach those marks.