Micah Hoffpauir hit a grand slam off Doug Mathis (0-2) in the third inning, and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters held on for a 5-4 win Saturday despite a rally from the Chiba Lotte Marines, who lost their fourth straight game.
Kazuhito Tadano (5-3) gave up four runs, only one earned, and six hits in five-plus innings. The Marines, who had been in first place from May 11 to July 29, dropped to fourth, four games back of the Fighters.
Lions 6, Eagles 5