Julio Zuleta drove in three runs and Toshiya Sugiuchi pitched eight solid innings, leading the Softbank Hawks over the Pacific League-leading Seibu Lions 7-3 on Sunday.
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| Satoru Kanemura of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pitches against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at Sendai's Fullcast Stadium. |
Zuleta delivered a two-run single in the first inning off Hideaki Wakui (4-3), who allowed two more runs in the second after issuing a walk to Nobuhiko Matsunaka and hitting Zuleta with a pitch -- both times with one out and the bases loaded at Invoice Seibu Dome.
Sugiuchi (5-1) allowed nine hits but limited the damage to two runs. The 2005 league MVP struck out nine and walked one.