Yoshinori Murata drove in the winning run with a single to left in the top of the ninth Thursday as the last-place Yomiuri Giants downed the Softbank Hawks 5-4 to avoid a three-game sweep.
Murata's single gave the Giants a 3-2 lead at Yahoo Dome and Takayki Shimizu made it 5-2 with a bases-loaded single to center.
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