Hiroshi Hirao drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday to lift the Pacific League-leading Seibu Lions to a 9-8 win over the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.
Tomonori Maeda of the Carp hits a two-run double in the third inning against the Dragons at Nagoya Dome. Hiroshima won 8-2.
Hirao’s single up the middle at Nagano Olympic Stadium allowed Kazuhiro Wada to score from second base with the winning run.
Wada hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning as the Lions jumped out to an early lead and rocked Daiei starter Tsuyoshi Wada for eight runs on six hits over 2 1/3 innings.
Seibu reliever Kiyoshi Toyoda picked up the win after retiring the side in the top of the ninth.
With the victory, Seibu opened up a 2 1/2 game lead over Daiei in the standings.
BlueWave 8, Fighters 6
At Sapporo Dome, Roosevelt Brown homered and drove in three runs to lead Orix past Nippon Ham.
Brown hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and then drove in a pair of runs in the top of the ninth with a clutch double to left.
Nippon Ham infielder Fernando Seguignol hit his league-leading 21st homer in the bottom of the eighth — a two-run blast that capped a four-run rally.
Marines 4, Buffaloes 3 (11)
At Chiba Marine Stadium, Saburo Omura drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning with a sacrifice fly to center to lift Chiba Lotte to a walkoff victory over Kintetsu.
Norihiro Nakamura tied the game at 3-all with a a solo homer in the eighth.
Yasuhiko Yabuta picked up the win after holding the Buffaloes scoreless in the top of the 11th inning.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
Giants 12, Swallows 8
At Jingu Stadium, Roberto Petagine hit a grand slam and Tuffy Rhodes added a two-run shot to power league-leading Yomiuri over Yakult.
Koji Uehara picked up the win after striking out 10 and giving up three runs on six hits over seven innings.
Carp 8, Dragons 2
At Nagoya Dome, Andy Sheets and Tomonori Maeda each drove in a pair of runs as Hiroshima beat Chunichi.
Takaya Kawauchi earned the victory after holding the Dragons to two runs on five hits over eight innings.
BayStars 8, Tigers 5
At Yokohama Stadium, Takanori Suzuki hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning as the BayStars scored a walkoff victory over Hanshin.
Suzuki’s blast off Hanshin reliever Jerrod Riggan gave the BayStars their second straight win over slumping Hanshin.
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