Pinch-hitter Shinji Takahashi broke a scoreless deadlock with a bases-loaded hit in the 10th inning as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters edged the Seibu Lions 1-0 in a game highlighted by a duel between Yu Darvish and Hideaki Wakui.
Takahashi slapped an 0-2 pitch from Wakui (0-2) down the right-field line for a game-ending single at Sapporo Dome, helping the Fighters end their 19-inning scoreless streak and move back to .500 in the early season Pacific League standings.
After being held to three singles by Wakui over nine innings, the Fighters loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 10th following a Terrmel Sledge leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch and two intentional walks to set up Takahashi's heroics.