Mauro Gomez's ninth-inning RBI double proved decisive as the Hanshin Tigers moved back within three games of the first-place Hiroshima Carp with a 4-3 victory in the Central League on Wednesday.
With two outs in the top of the ninth at Doradora Park, Gomez drove in Takashi Toritani to make it a 4-2 game.
Hiroshima closed within one run in the bottom half with Kila Ka'aihue's one-out solo shot off Oh Seung-hwan, but the South Korean closer sealed the win by getting pinch hitters Ryuhei Matsuyama and Kosuke Tanaka to pop up.