Hideki Matsui drilled a three-run home run and Yoshinobu Takahashi hit a two-run job in a five-run sixth inning as the Yomiuri Giants edged the Hanshin Tigers 6-5 Wednesday at Koshien Stadium. Yusaku Iriki (2-0) yielded five hits and struck out five over seven strong innings for the victory and Hideki Okajima pitched the ninth for the save. With the Tigers up 2-1 in the sixth inning, Takayuki Shimizu and Akira Eto hit back-to-back singles before Matsui's first home run in 10 games and sixth of the season. Kazuhiro Kiyohara followed with a single before Takahashi capped the five-run attack.
The Tigers narrowed the lead on Hiroshi Yagi's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, but Yomiuri's relievers secured the win.
Swallows 3, Dragons 2