Sho Nakata could not have picked a better time to hit his first home run of the season Thursday, a tiebreaking three-run shot in the 10th inning that lifted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters past the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 5-4.

The Fighters snapped their 10-game losing streak.

Nakata homered off Yuito Mori (0-1) with two outs in the top of the 10th at Yafuoku Dome as the defending Japan Series champions halted their worst slide in 12 years.