Toru Hosokawa belted a tie-breaking two-run homer and Kenichi Nakata allowed a run in six innings to propel the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks into first place in the Pacific League with a 3-1 win on Saturday over the Orix Buffaloes.
In front of 38,561 at Yafuoku Dome, Nakata (8-4) pitched out of a first-inning jam as Softbank held on for a victory that dropped the Buffaloes a half-game back in second. Nakata gave up three hits, two walks and hit a batter, while striking out six to win for the first time since June 14.
Soon after Nakata weathered first-inning trouble, back-to-back first-inning doubles by Kenta Imamiya and Seiichi Uchikawa made it 1-0 Hawks against Orix rookie Daiki Tomei (2-4). Nakata and Hosokawa contributed to an Orix run in the top of the fourth, when a leadoff walk, a passed ball and a wild pitch put a runner on third with one out.