Shintaro Masuda singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Pacific League-leading Tohoku Rakuten Eagles came from behind to beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-4 on Sunday.
The Eagles overcame a four-run deficit after right-hander Manabu Mima's first start since May 23 was aborted after three innings. But reliever Sho Miyagawa threw four scoreless innings of relief.
The Marines, who entered the three-game series at Kleenex Stadium two games behind the Eagles in second place, finished the day in third, five games off the pace, while the Eagles moved a franchise-record 15 games over .500.