Haruki Nishikawa threw out a runner at the plate in the eighth and pinch-hitter Ginji Akaminai singled in the only run in the ninth as the Pacific League-leading Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles beat the Central League's last-place Hanshin Tigers 1-0 in interleague on Thursday.
With the game scoreless in the eighth at Koshien Stadium, Tigers catcher Kenya Nagasaka singled and tried to score on Koji Chikamoto's two-out single but was gunned down at the plate as left fielder Nishikawa threw out his Japan-best ninth runner of the season.
Tigers closer Suguru Iwazaki (1-2) allowed Yoshiaki Watanabe's leadoff single in the ninth. Ginjiro Sumitani singled with two outs to put runners on the corners, and Akaminai, who has reached base in all three of his pinch-hitting appearances, singled in the go-ahead run.