sentences:  Though he expressed disappointment that he was not chosen to play in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a member of the national team (even though he ranked among the league leaders in several categories at the time), he notched his 16th win of the season, a new career high, on August 16 against the Marines, passing 1000 career innings pitched in that same game.On September 22, in a game against the Saitama Seibu Lions, Iwakuma threw seven innings of one-run ball to become the first 20-game winner in the Pacific League since Hawks right-hander Kazumi Saito achieved the feat in 2003.He picked up one more win on October 5 against the Hawks, becoming the first 21-game winner in 23 years (former Hankyu Braves right-hander Yoshinori Satoh won 21 games in ) and passing young rival and fellow ace Yu Darvish of the Fighters to lead the league in ERA (1.87) in his final start of the season.