Yukio Tanaka blasted a grand slam in a six-run third inning as the Nippon Ham Fighters won their fourth straight game by defeating the Pacific League-leading Kintetsu Buffaloes 7-3 Monday at the Tokyo Dome.
| Pacific League | |||||
| Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. | GB | |
| Kintetsu | 55 | 46 | 2 | .545 | - |
| Daiei | 56 | 47 | 1 | .544 | 0.0 |
| Seibu | 54 | 49 | 0 | .524 | 2.0 |
| Orix | 50 | 47 | 4 | .515 | 3.0 |
| Lotte | 48 | 51 | 2 | .485 | 6.0 |
| Nippon Ham | 38 | 61 | 3 | .384 | 16.0 |
Michihiro Ogasawara singled home a run in the first inning to give the Fighters a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Hiroshi Narahara led off a six-run attack with a run-scoring hit, while Tanaka followed with his 10th roundtripper of the season. Tatsuya Ide capped the inning with a solo homer.
Nippon Ham starter Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi pitched well by scattering two hits over four-plus innings, but left the mound in the fifth inning with an injury and lost the right to claim the win.
The Fighters sent four relievers to hold on for the victory. Yoshinori Tateyama (1-0) picked up the win and Carlos Mirabal earned the save.
Fumitoshi Takano nailed a two-run homer for the Buffs, who lead over the second-placed Daiei Hawks by only .001.
Marines 5, BlueWave 1
Koichi Hori smacked a grand slam off Koo Dae Sung (3-7) in the bottom of the fifth inning, pacing Lotte over Orix at Chiba Marine Stadium.
The Marines ended a three-game losing skid.
Hawks 9, Lions 8
Hiroshi Shibahara hit a two-run double in a four-run second inning and his teammate Akihito Muramatsu hit a bases-loaded three-run triple in the fifth inning as Daiei edged Seibu at Kitakyushu Stadium.