The Daiei Hawks erupted for five runs in the fifth inning and stretched their winning streak to eight for the first time in 30 years Sunday with a 7-5 triumph over the Seibu Lions in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture.
The victory gave Daiei a 4 1/2-game lead in the Pacific League standings over Seibu and the Nippon Ham Fighters and cut the "magic number" for the Hawks to repeat as PL champions to 13.
Hiroki Kokubo doubled with the bases loaded in the fifth to get the Daiei rally started and Nobuhiko Matsunaka promptly followed with a three-run homer off Seibu starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.