The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks relied on their batting and pitching depth in a 6-4 win over Pacific League rivals the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Tuesday, with Yuki Yanagita going 3-for-4 as one of five Hawks hitters with RBIs.
Yuki Tsumori (1-0) earned his first win of the season in the top-of-the-standings clash at Fukuoka’s PayPay Dome, striking out a pair in a scoreless sixth inning.
The 23-year-old right-hander was one of five Hawks relievers to take the mound following Shunsuke Kasaya’s four-inning start.
“I’m still gaining experience, but I’ll do my best to keep preventing hits and runs,” Tsumori said.
Livan Moinelo stood in for regular closer Yuito Mori and delivered a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the year.
Eigoro Mogi put the Eagles ahead with a solo homer in the top of the second, but the reigning PL champions took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning after Akira Nakamura sparked a rally with his own solo blast against Rakuten starter Takayuki Kishi.
Right-hander Kishi (2-3) took the loss after surrendering five runs, four earned, on seven hits over three innings.
The Hawks loaded the bases in the third before Takuya Kai scored Yanagita with a single to left. They added another run in the inning when Yurisbel Gracial scored on a Kenji Akashi sacrifice fly.
The Eagles chased Kasaya with none out in the fifth, scoring three runs against the lefty, including two from a long-bomb by Itsuki Murabayashi.
Righty Jumpei Takahashi delivered three outs to complete the inning, with the Hawks bullpen holding the line the rest of the way.
At MetLife Dome, Orix Buffaloes pinch hitter Stefen Romero cracked a two-run homer in the eighth to bring his side level in a 6-6 tie against the Saitama Seibu Lions.
In the Central League, rookie Teruaki Sato belted his ninth homer of the season for the league-leading Hanshin Tigers in an 11-5 win over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Chunichi Dragons ace Yudai Ono (2-2) surrendered four runs on seven hits but got the decision thanks to strong run support in an 8-4 win over the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Vantelin Dome Nagoya.
At Mazda Stadium, Hiroshima Carp starting pitcher Hiroki Tokoda drove in the tying run in a 1-1 stalemate with the Yomiuri Giants.
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times