Takashi Tachikawa hit a grand slam and added a solo homer to lift the Chiba Lotte Marines to their fourth straight victory with a 7-3 win over the Orix BlueWave
With Lotte down a run in the sixth inning, Tachikawa launched an offering from South Korean left-hander Koo Dae Sung (4-4) into the left field bleachers in to make it 5-2.
The win lifted Lotte out of last place in the PL standings for the first time this season while Orix sank into the cellar for the first time since June 5, 1999.
Lions 4, Fighters 3
At the Tokyo Dome, Kazuhiro Wada slammed a solo homer for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Seibu edged Nippon Ham.
Takashi Ishii (3-1) struggled with his control, allowing seven hits and three runs over seven innings but came away with his first win since April 9 while ending the Fighters' four-game winning streak.
Two relievers and closer Kiyoshi Toyada combined to hold the Fighters hitless in the eighth and ninth innings as the front-running Lions escaped being swept by Nippon Ham.