Norihiro Akahoshi hit a two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning Sunday to lift the Hanshin Tigers past the front-running Yomiuri Giants 3-2 in the Central League.
With the Giants ahead 2-1, Koji Uehara (16-4) loaded the bases on three singles before Akahoshi dug in the dirt to hit an 0-1 pitch up the middle for the go-ahead run at the Tokyo Dome.
Atsushi Fujimoto homered to put Hanshin ahead in the first and Koji Goto tied the game 1-1 with a solo shot in the second before Yomiuri took the lead in the fifth on Uehara's squeeze bunt.