D.J. Houlton threw one-run ball over the distance in his third complete game of the season, Seiichi Uchikawa went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and the first-place Fukuoka Softbank Hawks pounded the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 10-1 on Tuesday.
The Hawks, who have already clinched a spot in the Climax Series playoffs, saw their magic number to win the Pacific League pennant drop to five.
Houlton (16-6), who matched the PL lead for wins this season, retired the first 14 batters he faced before allowing a two-out single to Sho Nakata in the fifth.