Nobuyuki Ebisu (2-2) gave up five hits and struck out seven in six innings and Yoshitomo Tani blasted a two-run homer as the Orix BlueWave won their sixth straight game and took the Pacific League lead by defeating the Kintetsu Buffaloes 5-1 on Monday night at Green Stadium Kobe.
With two out and runners at first and second, Takeshi Hidaka hit a triple and Koichi Oshima singled home Hidaka as Orix took an early 3-0 lead.
Ebisu surrendered a solo homer to Tuffy Rhodes in the fourth inning, but Tani homered in the sixth to put the game away.