Shogo Akiyama kept Seibu in first place Wednesday with a sayonara homer to lead off the ninth inning as the Lions defeated the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 2-1.
Akiyama was trying to set up the winning score for veteran No. 3 hitter Hiroyuki Nakajima, who had tied the game in the seventh with a leadoff homer, but the youngster never gave Nakajima a chance. Akiyama pounded a first-pitch breaking ball from Akihiro Yanase (0-1) over the fence in right to lift the Lions to victory at Seibu Dome.
"We're aiming for the championship, so I'm overjoyed," said the 24-year-old Lions outfielder. "I was just thinking about how to get on base for Nakajima. He'd had three hits, singles and extra-bases."