Seibu hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka fanned 10 over eight innings to outpitch Daiei's Hayato Terahara and pick up his 12th win as the Lions edged the front-running Hawks 3-1 at Fukuoka Dome on Tuesday night.
Makoto Kito of the Chunichi Dragons stands on the mound after giving up a solo homer to Takuya Kimura of the Carp during Tuesday's game at Nagoya Dome.
Matsuzaka (12-4) allowed one run on eight hits while walking two. Kiyoshi Toyoda worked the ninth for his 27th save.