The Yomiuri Giants won their fifth straight interleague game on Tuesday and stretched their unbeaten streak to 10 games with a 5-2 win over the Seibu Lions.
Hayato Sakamoto hit the first homer this season off submarine right-hander Kazuhisa Makita. The Pacific League's 2011 Rookie of the Year fell to 2-4. The homer was Sakamoto's fifth of the year and his third in five interleague games.
The Lions tied it at 1-1 in the top of the sixth on an Esteban German sacrifice fly, but ran out of luck in the bottom of the inning at Seibu Dome. With one out and the bases loaded, Hisayoshi Chono hit a comebacker off Makita. The ball fell at his feet, but the pitcher looked the wrong way and everyone was safe on an RBI infield single.