Rookie Koki Ugusa triggered a four-run first inning with a leadoff home run and the Central League's fourth-place Hiroshima Carp held on to beat the third-place Yomiuri Giants 8-7 on Saturday.
The win at Tokyo Dome kept the Carp's hopes of seizing a playoff berth alive as they moved to within three games of the Giants with eight games left to play.
Seiya Suzuki, winner of the CL's last two Batter of the Month Awards, hit his 36th home run and scored twice, while Ryosuke Kikuchi doubled, homered, scored twice and drove in three for the Carp, who knocked out Giants starter Yuki Takahashi (11-9) in the first inning.