Takahiro Arai hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth inning, Atsushi Nomi went the distance on one-run ball, and the Hanshin Tigers held on for a 3-1 win over the Pacific League-leading Chiba Lotte Marines in interleague play on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers won their third straight and improved to a season-high 11 games above .500. Nomi (6-2) won his fifth consecutive decision to pull even with teammate Randy Messenger and Yomiuri Giants rookie Tomoyuki Sugano for the league lead in wins. The lefty, who was the Central League's pitcher of the month for May, scattered three hits, struck out four and walked two in a 103-pitch outing.
Arai's eighth home run of the season — a blast to center off lefty Yoshihisa Naruse (6-2) — made the 36-year-old the 39th player in Japanese baseball with 1,000 career RBIs. Arai had gone eight games without an RBI. For two weeks, the team had a bouquet of flowers ready to celebrate the milestone.