Makoto Moriyama had a tiebreaking single as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles broke out for five runs in the eighth inning on the way to a 6-1 victory over Taiwan's Eda Rhinos in the Asia Series on Friday.
The Eagles, who won their first championship in the club's ninth year in existence, got off to a winning note on the competition's opening day.
Tetsuro Nishida contributed with a two-run single for the Japan Series champions as the Eagles batted around in the big inning at Taichung International Baseball Stadium.
Eagles lefty Wataru Karashima had an eight-strikeout effort before he ran into control issues and got the hook with two on and one out in the sixth.