Shohei Fukuda saved the day with a two-run triple in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Pacific-League leading Fukuoka Softbank Hawks to their seventh consecutive win in an 8-6 victory over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, and a loss by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters later Sunday, the Hawks saw their magic number to clinch the PL title drop to two.
After singles by Lee Dae-ho and Kenta Imamiya put runners on first and second with two outs, Fukuda tripled up the middle to drive in both runners at Kobo Stadium Miyagi.