Makoto Kaneko had a tiebreaking two-run single in a four-run sixth inning as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters rallied to beat Hisashi Iwakuma and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 5-2 on Tuesday.
Slugger Terrmel Sledge tied the game 2-2 with a solo homer off Iwakuma (12-6) before Kaneko's bases-loaded one-out single. Kensuke Tanaka followed with an RBI double to cap the big inning at Sapporo Dome.
Masaru Takeda (8-7) allowed two runs over seven innings and Hisashi Takeda picked up his Pacific League-leading 31st save with a perfect ninth.