The Hiroshima Carp hit five homers, including two from Tomonori Maeda, in a 12-hit attack to beat the front-running Hanshin Tigers 7-5 in the Central League on Thursday.
Makoto Imaoka of the Hanshin Tigers watches the ball sail into the left stands for a grand
slam in the sixth inning Thursday at Hiroshima Stadium. The Carp won 7-5.
Hiroshima built a 6-0 lead through four innings against Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi (10-3) on a two-run homer by Shigenobu Shima in the first, a Koichi Ogata solo shot in the third and Maeda's solo blast and a two-run drive from Yoshikazu Kura in the fourth.
Hanshin cut the lead to two runs in the sixth on a Makoto Imaoka grand slam off Mike Romano (5-4) but Hiroshima replied with Maeda's second homer of the night that made it 7-4 in the bottom half.
A Takashi Toritani RBI grounder pulled the Tigers within two runs again in the seventh but the Hiroshima bullpen held on, with John Bale retiring the side in order in the ninth for his 17th save.
Romano worked six innings to pick up his first win since July 3.
Giants at BayStars -- ppd.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Buffaloes at Eagles -- ppd.
Hawks at Marines -- ppd.