Taking flight …

Hawks rise to top of PL

Hitoshi Tamura is having his best season in years and because of his contributions, the SoftBank Hawks have their eyes on the Pacific League title.
Tamura Friday drilled a three-run homer with two on and two out in the first inning and the Hawks held off the Lotte Marines 4-2 at Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome.
It was homer No. 21 Tamura, his highest total since hitting 40 in 2004 with the Yokohama BayStars.
The win put the Hawks alone atop the standings for the first time in 20 days, but heading into the final month three teams bunched together. Tamura said the Hawks will drive hard to take the title.
“We have to make it happen, it won’t just happen by itself,” he said. “We have to work together as a team over the last 20 or so games and that’s what we aim to do.”
Fourth-year hurler Mitsuhiko Morifuku (1-0) got his first pro win in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless frames. The shutdown trio of Tadashi Settsu, Brian Falkenborg and Takahiro Mahara saved it for him with a scoreless inning each.

EAGLES 11, LIONS 3
Daisuke Kusano had three hits, including two doubles, and tied his career high with five RBIs as visiting Rakuten beat up on Seibu.
The Lions, who have lost seven straight, fell to a game behind league-leading SoftBank.

BUFFALOES 3, FIGHTERS 3, 12 INNINGS
Aarom Baldiris’ sac fly in the sixth inning was the last run scored as Orix and Nippon Ham tied at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

CENTRAL LEAGUE
CARP 9, GIANTS 7, 11 INNINGS
Soichiro Amaya blasted a fastball from Takahiko Nomaguchi (1-2) into th e stands in right, a two-run, three-run shot and the second blast of the inning, for a walk-off win over Yomiuri at The Zoom.
Takahiro Iwamoto opened the inning with a video-review homer, a solo shot to center that hit a hand-held fan of a spectator whom the Giants thought was leaning over the fence. Umpires determined the fan was not in the field of play, and Yomiuri’s lead was cut to one.
Nomaguchi walked two before Amaya clubbed his sixth longball of the season.

SWALLOWS 6, TIGERS 0
Shohei Tateyama (8-5) didn’t allow a runner to reach second base, tossing a six-hitter for his second shutout and fifth straight victory as Yakult downed Hanshin at Koshien Stadium.
The Tigers lost for the sixth time in seven games, but stayed in second place.

BAYSTARS 3, DRAGONS 2, 12 INNINGS
Shinji Niinuma stroked a sayonara single off Chunichi closer Hitoki Iwase (1-3) as host Yokohama edged the Dragons.