Yomiuri outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi hit a double into the left-field gap in the eighth and drove in the game-winning run as the Giants snapped Hiroshima's three-game winning streak with a 7-3 victory at Hiroshima Stadium.
Yomiuri piled two more runs in the ninth, with Shinnosuke Abe's RBI double and Keiji Fukui's squeeze bunt. Takahashi also belched a solo shot in the sixth.
Starter Yusaku Iriki lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and fanning six batters. Tsuyoshi Jobe (1-0) picked up the win.
Dragons 5, Tigers 3
At the Nagoya Dome, Takashi Ogasawara went five-plus innings and Chunichi used six relievers to extend its winning streak to three by beating league-leading Hanshin.
Ogasawara (2-0) was superb with his ball placement, allowing five hits and fanning three hitters.
In the fifth, Masahiro Araki hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to right and Kosuke Fukudome followed with a double, giving Chunichi a 3-0 lead. The Tigers lost consecutive games for the first time this season.
BayStars 4, Swallows 0
At Jingu Stadium, Boi Rodriguez belched a grand-slam home run in the sixth and Daisuke Miura hurled a shut-out as Yokohama downed Yakult.
Miura (2-0) struck out eight batters on four hits and two walks.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Hawks 6, Fighters 2
At the Tokyo Dome, Kenji Jojima belched a three-run shot in the first inning and Daiei held onto its early lead to beat Nippon Ham for the fifth straight game.
Daiei's Akichika Yamada (2-0) was flawless with his slider, striking out six batters in seven innings.
Michihiro Ogasawara and David Tohmas Cromer's solo home runs were the lone scores for the Fighters.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.