Hirokazu Ibata hit a game-tying double and second baseman Koichi Hori's fielding error allowed the go-ahead run to score in the eighth inning Wednesday as the Chunichi Dragons beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-2 to take the Central League lead.

Chunichi turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead in the eighth and added two runs in the ninth on an RBI double by Norihiro Nakamura and a run-scoring single from Lee Byung Kyu at Chiba Marine Stadium.

Takashi Ogasawara (3-0) held Lotte to two runs and eight hits in seven innings. Soichi Fujita (1-1) took the loss.

Hitoki Iwase closed out the ninth to earn his 13th save.