Yuhei Takai's two-out RBI single off Lions closer Tatsushi Masuda lifted the Tokyo Yakult Swallows to a 6-4 come-from-behind win over Seibu on Thursday.
A loss to the Lions would have trimmed the Swallows' interleague lead to a game, and that possibility was looming until Yakult came back to tie the game in the eighth.
Norichika Aoki opened the ninth off Masuda (0-4) with a ringing single. After a sacrifice and a flyout, pinch hitter Kazuhiro Hatakeyama singled to keep the inning alive. Takai fouled off a pair of 1-2 pitches before singling to right.