Yuki Karakawa worked into the eighth inning to earn the victory as the Pacific League-leading Chiba Lotte Marines defeated the Yomiuri Giants 4-3 on Friday in an interleague battle between Japan's best two teams.
Karakawa (3-3) allowed three runs — two earned — in 7 1/3 innings. The right-hander, who did not surrender a run until the seventh, allowed seven hits and hit a batter, while striking out five.
"He had very good late movement on his fastball," said Lotte skipper Tsutomu Ito. "After his last start, we talked about him being more aggressive with it."