Yuya Yanagi bounced back from a tough first inning to work seven innings and win for the first time in two months as the Chunichi Dragons defeated the Yokohama BayStars 8-3 on Saturday.

Yanagi (10-5) surrendered back-to-back first-inning home runs at Nagoya Dome to Jose Lopez and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, but then kept the visitors in check until they put three men on to open the seventh. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out eight while walking two.

"Because so many fans kept cheering me on while I wasn't winning, I'm so happy to repay the fans for the strength they lent to me," said Yanagi, who last won on July 7.