Masaru Takeda pitched one-run ball over six innings and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters erupted in a five-run second en route to a sweep of the Orix Buffaloes in a 7-2 victory on Sunday.
With its third win in a row and seventh in eight games, the Fighters moved into a share of first with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Pacific League.
Takeda (2-1) scattered seven hits, struck out four and walked one.