Seiichi Uchikawa drove in four runs to help ace Tadashi Settsu make a winning return as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks beat the Seibu Lions 8-5 on Sunday to pull within a half-game of the Pacific League lead.
Settsu (2-2) allowed three runs in five innings, but it was enough to win his first start since Aug. 10. The right-hander allowed five hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
The game started as all Hawks, with SoftBank holding a 4-0 lead until Ernesto Mejia's 34th home run, a two-run shot in the fourth made it a 4-2 game. But Uchikawa went to work, singling in a run in the bottom half and belting a three-run homer in the sixth that put the game out of reach.