The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks broke out the bats in a seven-run third inning on the way to defeating the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 9-6 in an interleague game on Friday night in Tokyo.

The Hawks got off to a robust start when they batted around in the big frame in support of shaky starter Jason Standridge before the Swallows gradually narrowed the gap.

Yuki Yanagita and Nobuhiro Matsuda both had two-run doubles as Softbank went up 7-0 at Jingu Stadium. South Korean slugger Lee Dae-ho went 4-for-6 with a run scored in the 18-hit onslaught.

Tetsuto Yamada had three hits and drove in Yakult's opening run on an RBI single in the bottom of the third. Yuhei Takai led off the fourth with a homer and added a two-run double that keyed a four-run fifth for the Swallows.

Standridge was chased after allowing six runs in 4-1/3 innings. Masahiko Morifuku (2-0) got the win in relief.

Yakult starter Masato Furuno (3-4) was roughed up for six runs and nine hits in two-plus innings of the loss.