Nobuhiro Matsuda hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fourth inning and left-hander Hiroki Yamada held the damage to a minimum as Pacific League-leading Fukuoka Softbank stretched its winning streak to five games in the Hawks' 3-1 win over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Tuesday.
Matsuda took lefty reliever Masahiro Inui (0-1) for a ride over the center field wall, breaking a 1-1 tie for a 3-1 lead at Yahoo Dome.
Yamada (1-1) gave up one run on five hits in seven innings before handing the game over to Masahiko Morifuku for a scoreless eighth and Brian Falkenborg, who shut the door in the ninth for his sixth save.