Takahiro Arai hit a come-from-behind three-run homer and the Hiroshima Carp beat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 5-2 for their fourth straight win on Friday, cutting the magic number to clinch the Central League to seven.
Ryosuke Kikuchi and Yoshihiro Maru both hit two-out singles in the fifth after the Carp surrendered two runs in the bottom of the fourth, and Arai belted his homer over the left-field fence off Swallows lefty Masanori Ishikawa (6-8).
Up next was Seiya Suzuki, who also went deep to left to chase Ishikawa at Jingu Stadium.