Kodai Sakurai homered and drove in three runs Thursday night, helping the Hanshin Tigers to a 4-2 win over the Hiroshima Carp in the Central League.
Sakurai hit a solo home run to give Hanshin a 1-0 lead in the second inning and then broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a two-run triple, followed by an Ikuro Katsuragi RBI single, at Koshien Stadium.
Hiroki Kuroda (10-8) was charged with four runs and seven hits in six innings.
BayStars 6, Dragons 5
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Lions 3, Marines 2 (11)
At Goodwill Dome, Takahiko "G.G." Sato hit a game-ending infield single in the 11th inning as Seibu beat Chiba Lotte.
Toru Hosokawa and Yasuyuki Kataoka singled to put runners on the corners with one out in the 11th before Lotte closer Masahide Kobayashi (2-5) walked Takumi Kuriyama intentionally to load the bases to face Sato.
Takahashi staying on
Yomiuri Giants outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi hinted Thursday he will sign a multiyear contract with the team without declaring free agency after talks with club representative Hidetoshi Kiyotake.
"Although I haven't received a concrete offer, he (Kiyotake) said he is seeking a contract of at least four years for me," said Takahashi, who became eligible for free agency in April. "I'm not declaring free agency. He asked me to stay until I retire. I wish to do so."
The 32-year-old Takahashi has hit .300 or better in six of his last nine seasons.