Takahiro Arai homered and Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi pitched six solid innings Wednesday as the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers beat the Hiroshima Carp 4-2.
Shinjiro Hiyama tied the game at 1-1 with a sixth-inning RBI double and Hanshin took the lead for good with a run-scoring grounder by Keiichi Hirano in a three-run seventh, capped by Arai's two-run shot at Ishikawa Prefectural Stadium.
Shimoyanagi (5-0) held the Carp to one unearned run and five hits while striking out six, walking none and hitting two batters with pitches. Kyuji Fujikawa worked the ninth for his 14th save.