Munetaka Murakami's home run hat-trick rescued the Central League-leading Tokyo Yakult Swallows in a 4-2, 11-inning win over the Hanshin Tigers on Sunday.
The come-from-behind win at Hanshin's historic Koshien Stadium outside Osaka prevented the Swallows from suffering a three-game sweep.
Murakami hit his league-leading 35th homer with his team trailing 2-0 in the seventh. He tied it in the ninth with a one-out homer off Hanshin closer Suguru Iwazaki.