Kintetsu slugger Tuffy Rhodes smashed a two-run homer for his 37th this season, carrying the Buffaloes to a 2-1 win over the Lotte Marines on Wednesday night at the Osaka Dome.
Rhodes is now one homer ahead of Seibu slugger Alex Cabrera in the home-run race. Cabrera didn't homer in his team's 3-2 "sayonara" win against Daiei.
Kintetsu pitchers Katsuhiko Maekawa (11-7), Koichi Misawa and Akinori Otsuka combined on a four-hitter. Maekawa gave up three hits and a run over six innings before Misawa held Lotte to one hit over two innings. Otsuka took the ninth with no hits for his 13th save.