Emergency call-up Seiichiro Oshita came to the rescue as the Orix Buffaloes rallied from a late deficit to beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 4-3 on Tuesday and supplant them as Pacific League leaders.
Two days after surrendering first place to the Marines, Orix was without Adam Jones, who was deactivated due to vaccination side effects. The Buffaloes replaced him on the active roster with Oshita, who had spent most of this season on the farm.
Trailing 3-1 at Hotto Motto Field Kobe, Oshita led off the eighth with a pinch-hit home run. A Torai Fushimi double off Lotte reliever Chihaya Sasaki and a two-out error on shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria allowed the tying run to score.