Toshiya Sugiuchi struck out a career-high 15 in his fourth complete game this season as the Softbank Hawks beat the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 3-1 on Sunday.
Sugiuchi (12-3) allowed just one run and two hits in a 145-pitch outing at Yahoo Dome, sending the flu-hit Fighters to their season-worst-tying fifth consecutive loss.
The second-place Hawks have won four straight and are now three games behind the Fighters.
"I went with full force from the start. I didn't want to stop the team's winning streak," said Sugiuchi. "I tried to think I didn't have to hold them scoreless as long as I could help the team win."