Darrell Houlton (8-6) struck out six in 5 1/3 scoreless innings as the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks padded out their Pacific League lead with a 2-0 victory over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Tuesday night at Sapporo Dome.
Hiroki Kokubo drove in both runs for the Hawks, who won for the third time in four games to move 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Seibu Lions.
Houlton and four pitchers — Masahiko Morifuku, Tadashi Settsu, Brian Falkenborg and Takahiro Mahara, who picked up his 29th save, one behind Seibu's league leader Brian Sikorski — combined on the shutout.