Hisashi Takayama drove in two runs with a homer and a go-ahead sacrifice fly, leading the front-running Seibu Lions to a 3-2 victory over the second-place Softbank Hawks in the Pacific League on Sunday.
Swallows starter Rick Guttormson pitches against the Hanshin Tigers on Sunday
at Kyocera Dome.
KYODO PHOTOTakayama hit a solo shot that tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning and lofted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth off Yoshiaki Fujioka (5-3) to put the Lions ahead for good at Invoice Seibu Dome.
Koji Mitsui (3-1) won in relief and Chikara Onodera pitched out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the ninth by retiring Julio Zuleta and Jolbert Cabrera to pick up his 22nd save.