Pitcher Toshikazu Sawazaki went six strong innings and drove in a key run Wednesday to lead the Hiroshima Carp to a 4-2 victory over the Yomiuri Giants at Maruyama Stadium in Sapporo.

Sawazaki (3-1) fanned five while giving up one run on four hits and drove in the go-ahead run with a well-executed squeeze in the fifth inning as the Carp snapped a four-game losing streak.

The Carp added two more runs in the sixth before Kazuhiro Kiyohara connected for a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late for the Central League-leading Giants.