Yoshinobu Takahashi and Hideki Matsui hit two-run homers and the Yomiuri Giants found their batting stroke Monday for 14 hits and a 9-3 romp over the Daiei Hawks in the third game of the Japan Series baseball championship.
Takahashi broke an 0-for-9 slump with his two-run clout in the second inning and scored again in the following frame as the Giants broke the game open in the third with four runs on five hits at the Fukuoka Dome to post their first win in the best-of-seven series.
"I don't know if you can say we're more relaxed in Fukuoka, but we didn't play even to 50 percent of out ability at the Tokyo Dome. Today the players appeared to have a weight taken off their shoulders," Yomiuri manager Shigeo Nagashima said.
"In a short series like this, there is no tomorrow," added the Giants skipper. "It's going to be a battle the rest of the way."