Shunta Goto saved a run with his defense and had two big hits on Thursday as the Orix Buffaloes beat the Pacific League-leading Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 3-2 to move within 2-1/2 games of the PL lead.
Goto made the play of the game in the first inning in center field, when he raced back, vaulted well up the center-field wall at Kyocera Dome to make a run-saving catch and then ended the inning by doubling off the Hawks' lead runner.
Facing Shota Takeda (3-3), who was 2-0 in two starts against the Buffaloes this season, the play turned out to be huge. Orix capitalized on its opportunity with two runs against the right-hander in the second inning.