Takahiro Arai went 5-for-5 with five RBIs and Eddy Diaz had four hits -- including a solo homer -- as the Hiroshima Carp racked up 21 hits off the new Central League champion Yakult Swallows in a 13-5 victory at Jingu Stadium on Thursday.
Kojiro Machida pinch hit a grand slam in the eighth inning and the Carp can ensure a lock on third place in the CL standings with a win at Jingu on Friday when the Carp and Swallows bring the curtain down on the regular season in Japanese baseball.
Hiroshima starter Masayuki Hasegawa (9-6) picked up the win despite giving up four runs on five hits and four walks over 62/3 innings.
Yakult hurler Kevin Hodges (5-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in just three innings.
Hiroshima reliever Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara made his 77th appearance, tying the league record for most appearances in a season.
Dragons 6, BayStars 2
Takeshi Yamasaki drilled a three-run homer in the eighth inning off reliever Atsushi Kizuka as Chunichi won its final game with Senichi Hoshino as manager against Yokohama at Yokohama Stadium.
Satoru Komiyama (12-9) lasted only two innings in the BayStars' last game of the season, giving up three runs on six hits, to take the loss as Yokohama failed to sew up third place in the CL standings.