Tohoku Rakuten pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma is up to his old tricks in August and helping to shake up the race for the Pacific League Climax Series in the process.

Iwakuma threw a complete game on the road against the first-place Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in a 6-3 win on Tuesday in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, helping the Eagles move into a tie for third place in the league.

The Eagles would fall back into fourth, a half-game behind the Seibu Lions, the next day after their second game of their series against the Fighters was rained out.