Mitsutaka Goto's one-out single lifted Orix to a 7-6 sayonara victory over Hokkaido Nippon Ham on Sunday in a game that saw the Buffaloes light up Fighters icon Yuki Saito for six runs in three-plus innings.
With the game tied 6-6, Fighters closer Hisashi Takeda (3-3) issued a leadoff walk to rookie Takayoshi Kawabata. After a sacrifice and a one-out walk to Keiji Obiki, Goto singled to lift the Buffaloes to victory at Kyocera Dome.
"This is a result of their (the pitchers') gutting it out until the end," said Orix manager Akinobu Okada