Tetsuto Yamada snapped a seventh-inning tie with his second RBI double and the Central League-leading Tokyo Yakult Swallows tacked on two more runs in a 5-2 win Monday over the Hanshin Tigers, who fell two games off the pace.

Yamada, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, opened the scoring in the third inning when he plated Shingo Kawabata with a two-out RBI double off Tigers starter Shintaro Fujinami. With the score tied 2-2 in the seventh, one-out singles by Tsuyoshi Ueda and Kawabata off Yuya Ando set the table and Yamada broke the tie with his league-leading 37th double.

"We have a lot of games we can't afford to lose, so we are under pressure," Yamada said. "It takes a toll on you physically and mentally, but you just have to go out and do your best. That being said, I don't feel it at bat: I try not to think too much and just put the best swing I can on the ball."