The Yokohama BayStars are happy, not satisfied, to have secured an A-Class finish in the Central League.

They gave the Yomiuri Giants a lesson in the distinction between the two in what they hope is their last trip to Tokyo Dome this year.

The BayStars hit six home runs, including a pair of two-run shots from Jose Lopez and a grand slam and solo homer by Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, on their way to turning an early two-run deficit into an emphatic 12-4 win on Friday night at Tokyo Dome.

"It was a huge game for us today," BayStars manager Alex Ramirez said. "I'm glad that we were able to keep it up and win the game today. Early in the game it was a little bit rough, but the guys never put their heads down and we kept battling."

Tsutsugo's big night left him with an NPB-leading 42 home runs this season. The BayStars slugger also leads Japan with 107 RBIs.

"He's the No. 1 hitter in Japan," Ramirez said. "I'm just happy to have him on our team."

Lopez, who has a new two-year deal with the team, has 32 homers, the most he's hit in a single season in his professional career.

"He's doing a tremendous job hitting in front of Tsutsugo," Ramirez said. "I think that's what's going to keep us in a very good condition."

Takayuki Kajitani hit a two-run blast for the BayStars and Hiroyuki Shirasaki added a solo homer.

The BayStars, already assured of finishing no worse than third in the CL, kept alive their hopes of chasing down the Giants for second place and the right to host the CL Climax Series First Stage matchup between the two teams beginning Oct. 8.

"We still have a chance to finish second so we will keep doing our best to get the home-field advantage in the Climax Series," said pitcher Yoshiki Sunada.

Yokohama closed the gap between the two teams to 2 1/2 games. While the BayStars have three games left to play, the Kyojin still have six on their schedule.

"We have to keep in mind that they have six more games," Ramirez said. "But our motivation is to not come back here.

"That's our Plan B."

Even with all the offense, the BayStars' most important play may have come from a pitcher.

With the score tied at 4-4 in the sixth, the Giants managed to load the bases against relievers Mike Zagurski and Shigeru Kaga. Ramirez then brought Sunada out of the bullpen, and the third-year left-hander struck out Shinnosuke Abe to end a 10-pitch at-bat and preserve the tie.

"I just didn't want to walk Abe," Sunada said. "He kept fouling off pitches, but I did my best to keep throwing strikes and was able to get him."

Sunada (2-2) also retired the three batters his faced in the seventh and was credited with the win.

"He did a tremendous job coming in the game like that in that kind of situation and striking out Shinnosuke Abe, that was huge for us," Ramirez said. "Right there, the momentum just swung our way. After that, we were able to score some runs and win the game."

Giants starter Kazuto Taguchi, who allowed three home runs, was charged with the loss. Taguchi allowed seven runs on 12 hits over six-plus innings.

The Giants' Hayato Sakamoto, the CL's batting leader with a .344 average, hit one of the Kyojin's two home runs, connecting on his 23rd of the season, and 150th of his career, in the first inning. Shuichi Murata also homered, hitting a two-run blast. Hisayoshi Chono was also credited with an RBI after drawing a bases loaded walk.

The Giants led 2-0 after two innings thanks to Sakamoto's homer and Chono's walk.

Kajitani erased the lead with his two-run homer in the top of the second, but Murata struck back with his own two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning.

Lopez tied the game with his homer in the sixth and Shirasaki put the BayStars ahead 5-4 with his home run in the seventh.

The BayStars loaded the bases later in the seventh as the Giants cycled through relief pitchers. Tsutsugo then blew the game open with a grand slam to center that made the score 9-4.

Lopez hit his second two-run homer of the night in the top of the ninth off rookie pitcher Kota Nakagawa. The pitcher's NPB debut got even worse when Tsutsugo also took him deep.

The two teams will meet for the final time in the regular season on Saturday at Yokohama Stadium. The BayStars will send Kazuki Mishima (1-1) to the mound with Tetsuya Utsumi (9-6) scheduled to start for the Giants.

Imamiya sparks Hawks

KYODO

Tokorozawa, Saitama Pref. — Kenta Imamiya was 3-for-4 with four RBIs as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks blanked the Seibu Lions 8-0 on Friday to remain just behind the Pacific League-leading Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Imamiya opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the third inning and hit a two-run double in the fourth at Seibu Prince Dome to help the Hawks stop their losing skid at two. Yuya Hasegawa capped the scoring with a two-run triple in the seventh.

SoftBank starter Nao Higashihama (9-6) scattered five hits and struck out four over six innings and three relievers threw an inning each to hold the Lions to just one hit combined.

Seibu's Yusei Kikuchi (12-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on 10 hits and four walks in 6-1/3 innings, seeing his personal winning streak halted at 10.

The Hawks now sit one game behind the Fighters, whose magic number to win the PL pennant that was lit overnight at six remains unchanged.

Eagles 4, Fighters 2

At Sapporo Dome, Toshiaki Imae's RBI single triggered a three-run fourth and Zelous Wheeler hit a solo homer two innings later as Tohoku Rakuten stopped Hokkaido Nippon Ham's winning streak at five.

Yoshinao Kamata (7-4) gave up just two hits over six innings for his first win since Aug. 3 and Yuki Matsui got the last three outs for his 30th save.