Hiroto Kobukata singled in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles beat the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 3-2 to extend their winning streak to eight games on Thursday.
The Fighters lost their seventh consecutive game — and their sixth straight by one run.
With runners on the corners and two outs in the top of the ninth, Kobukata lined a 2-2 fastball from Seigi Tanaka (2-2) to center at Es Con Field Hokkaido.
"I was behind in the count, so I just tried to make good contact," Kobukata said of his ninth-inning RBI single. "My team is in a good mood, and I want to contribute whatever I can to keep this winning streak going."
Eagles closer Yuki Matsui earned his 21st save by striking out Chusei Mannami to strand the potential tying run on third in the bottom of the ninth.
Tomohito Sakai (2-2) threw a 1-2-3 eighth for the win.
Rakuten's Yukiya Ito tied the game at 2-2 with a solo home run in the sixth.
