Nobuhiko Matsunaka hit a tiebreaking solo shot in the fifth inning and Hitoshi Tamura drove in four runs with a homer as the Softbank Hawks routed Seibu 11-4 on Sunday to move within 1 1/2 games of the Pacific League-leading Lions.
Matsunaka's solo home run to right off Takayuki Kishi (9-6) gave Softbank a 5-4 lead before the Hawks put the game away with a five-run seventh at Yahoo Dome.
Tamura had a three-run blast in the opening frame and an RBI single in the seventh among his three hits. Masahiko Morifuku (2-1) worked two scoreless innings in relief for the victory.