Aito Takeda scored a run and drove in another Monday as the Seibu Lions kept up their pursuit of the Pacific League pennant with a 5-1 comeback win over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
The Lions, who started the day a half-game back from the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the race for the PL lead, completed a 2-1 series victory against the last-place Fighters at Sapporo Dome.
Submarine right-hander Kaito Yoza (7-3) earned the win after throwing five innings of one-run ball, striking out one while allowing eight hits and a walk. Nippon Ham starter Takahide Ikeda (1-2) was charged with the loss.
The Fighters were first on the board when catcher Shingo Usami scored Daiki Asama with a double in the second.
Seibu tied it in the fourth when Ikeda bounced a wild pitch past Usami, allowing Takeda to round from third, then took a 2-1 lead when left-fielder Kensuke Kondo dropped Jantzen Witte's fly, with Tomoya Mori scoring.
The Lions added three more runs in the sixth, with Takeda's sacrifice fly to right completing the rally.