◆ Pacific League Seibu Lions 2-4 Nippon-Ham (27th, Belluna Dome)

Nippon-Ham came from behind to defeat league leaders Seibu Lions, bringing their lead to a season-high of eight games. They have now narrowed the gap with the league leaders to four games.

In the sixth inning, trailing 0-1, Yoshida hit his fourth home run of the season, his second in as many games, to tie the game. In the ninth inning, with one out and a runner on second base, Narama hit a timely doble down the right field line to take the lead. Mizuno then followed up with a timely triple over the center field fence to extend the lead.

Starting pitcher Yamazaki gave up the first run in the third inning with the bases loaded loaded and no outs when Canario hit into double play play to shortstop, but he then pitched a tenacious pitch, throwing 79 pitches over six innings, allowing six hit and one runs. "I'm glad I was able to somehow keep the game under control. (In the third inning) it would have been better not to create a bases loaded situation, but I think I did the minimum required by limiting it to just one run," he commented.