The Hiroshima Carp have more work to do during the regular season in order to get where they want to be. Now the Tokyo Yakult Swallows still do as well.
Yoshihiro Maru tied the game with a homer in the fifth, Brad Eldred hit a tiebreaking two-run shot during the same frame, and the Carp forced the Central League-leading Swallows to put the beer on ice for at least another night with a 4-2 victory in front a crowd of 33,522 on Tuesday at Jingu Stadium.
The Carp, favored by many to compete for the CL title, are out of the pennant race, but still trying to chase down the Hanshin Tigers for the third and final spot in next month's CL Climax Series. The Carp began the day 1 1/2 games behind the Tigers, who edged the Yokohama BayStars 4-3 at Koshien Stadium on Tuesday night.