Akihiro Yano homered and hit a two-run bases-loaded single, lifting the first-place Hanshin Tigers past the Chunichi Dragons in a 4-3 triumph as intraleague resumed in the Central League on Tuesday.
Julio Zuleta of the Softbank Hawks reacts after hitting a grand slam in the fifth inning
against the Rakuten Golden Eagles Tuesday at Fullcast Stadium. The Hawks won 10-4.
Kosuke Fukudome and Takayuki Onishi had RBI hits to give Chunichi a 2-0 edge before Hanshin rallied to tie it with a solo homer by Yano in the fourth inning and a Takashi Toritani run-scoring single in the fifth at Osaka Dome.
Yano's two-run single to left made it 4-2 for the Tigers, who took over in first in the CL standings after finishing interleague play with a 21-13 record with two ties. Kei Igawa (6-3) allowed two runs and four hits in seven strong innings for the win.