Shinjiro Hiyama led off the eighth inning with a solo roundtripper for the go-ahead run as the red-hot Hanshin Tigers comfortably picked up from where they left off before the All-Star break, beating the Hiroshima Carp 4-3 at Koshien Stadium on Friday.
It was the Tigers' fourth straight win and ninth in a row at their home stadium.
Tied 3-all, Hiyama deposited a Masayuki Hasegawa offering into the bleachers for his 12th homer of the year.