Akihiro Yano drove in a pair of runs and rookie Tomoyuki Kubota went 7 2/3 solid innings Saturday as the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers cruised to a 9-3 win over the Yakult Swallows.

News photoHanshin tigers catcher Akihiro Yano hits a solo home run to the left-center field bleachers off Yakult Swallows reliever Hideki Sato in the fourth inning Saturday at Koshien Stadium. The Tigers won 9-3.

Yano gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead at Koshien Stadium with a solo homer off Yakult reliever Hideki Sato in the bottom of the fourth and then drove in another run in the fifth when Hanshin scored four runs to take an 8-1 lead.