Naoto Watanabe hit a walk-off infield single in the 10th inning to give the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles a 2-1 victory over the Seibu Lions on Sunday, their first win of the season after a 0-4 start.
With one out and runners on the corners in the 10th, Watanabe hit a slow roller to second baseman Yasuyuki Kataoka, who had no chance to throw home for a possible out at Kleenex Stadium.
"(Masahiro) Tanaka was pitching very well, so I wanted to end the game for him no matter what. It wasn't a pretty one, though," Watanabe said of his game-winning hit.