Tomoaki Kanemoto hit a first-inning two-run homer to put the Hanshin Tigers on the way to snapping their nine-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Central League-leading Yomiuri Giants on Thursday.
Fukuoka Softbank slugger Nobuhiko Matsunaka blasts a three-run homer off Fighters reliever Takeshi Ito in the fifth inning at Sapporo Dome on Thursday. The Hawks cruised past Hokkaido Nippon Ham 8-2.
KYODO PHOTOHanshin took an early lead for the second straight evening when Kanemoto connected off Hiroshi Kisanuki (2-1) for a shot over the right-field wall after Lin Wei-zhu had drawn a two-out walk at Koshien Stadium.
Takashi Toritani homered in the fifth and Shinobu Fukuhara (1-1) overcame some shakiness to work 5 2/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen, which held Yomiuri scoreless the rest of the way to help the Tigers' longest skid since August 2000.
BayStars 3, Swallows 1
At Jingu Stadium, Tatsuhiko Kinjo hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning and Hayato Terahara (4-1) pitched his first complete game of the season as Yokohama stopped Yakult's winning streak at three games.
Carp 2, Dragons 1
At Hiroshima Stadium, Shigeru Morikasa drove in the winning run with a double in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Hiroshima a "sayonara" victory over Chunichi.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Marines 6, Buffaloes 2
At Skymark Stadium, Julio Zuleta hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning as Chiba Lotte held on to an early lead to beat the Orix.
Shunsuke Watanabe (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in 8 1/3 innings. Masahide Kobayashi got the final two outs to pick up his ninth save.
Hawks 8, Fighters 2
At Sapporo Dome, Hitoshi Tamura and Hiroki Kokubo hit RBI doubles in a three-run first inning off a shaky Yu Darvish (4-2) as the Softbank Hawks beat the Nippon Ham Fighters 8-2 for their third straight win Thursday.