Yakult starter Kevin Hodges scattered four hits over seven innings and hit a solo homer to ignite the Swallows offense as the defending Japan Series champions defeated the Hiroshima Carp 6-1 in a Central League contest Tuesday.
After Hodges homered in the sixth inning to knot the game at 1-1, Yakult loaded the bases twice and got key hits from Kosei Ono and Takahiro Ikeyama for four runs in the seventh at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo.
Roberto Petagine capped the scoring for Yakult with a solo homer in the eighth as the Swallows won three in a row to start the season for the first time in three years. Tigers 6, BayStars 1