Hawks right-hander Sho Iwasaki took a shutout into the ninth inning to win for the first time since May 6, as Fukuoka Softbank stopped the Seibu Lions 4-1 at Tokyo Dome on Monday.
The green-clad Hawks, playing before a large crowd dressed largely in the green shirts, snapped a four-game losing streak and moved past the Lions into fourth place in the Pacific League standings.
Iwasaki (4-6) allowed a run in 8⅓ innings in his second start since he was banished to the bullpen on June 2. The 22-year-old allowed six hits and four walks, while striking out three.
"I wasn't getting results (before) as a starter," Iwasaki said. "I put that pain to work for me when I was in middle relief. I wanted to pitch so people would see what I was capable of. Coming out of the bullpen turned out to be a valuable experience."
Nobuhiro Matsuda put the home team in front in the fourth, when he plated speedy leadoff man Kenji Akashi with a one-out double off Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (7-7).
Kishi, who gave up four runs in seven innings, surrendered another double to Matsuda to lead off the seventh. Nobuhiko Matsunaka, making his second straight start in the Hawks' cleanup spot, then took Kishi deep to right-center with his third homer of the year. Softbank catcher Hiroaki Takaya compounded the damage in the inning with an RBI single.
The crowd of 46,411 was the second largest announced this season at Tokyo Dome, just 50 shy of the mark set by the Yomiuri Giants on June 11 against the Chiba Lotte Marines.
