The Central League champion Hanshin Tigers snapped Tomoyuki Sugano's scoreless-inning streak Thursday and came from behind to beat the Yomiuri Giants 2-1 in 10 innings, on the first run scored off closer Taisei Ota this season.
Sugano took a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning at historic Koshien Stadium near Osaka before the Tigers tied it on a Shota Morishita RBI single, snapping the 34-year-old's string of 20 scoreless innings to start the season.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the 10th with no outs against Ota (0-1) before Teruaki Sato ended the game with an RBI single. The Giants closer came in having allowed just two hits and a walk over six innings.
"I went up to swing," Sato said. "Taisei challenged me with his fastball and I wasn't going to get cheated on my swings."
Tigers starter Yuki Nishi allowed a run over eight innings to keep the game close, giving his team a chance to come back.
"That was a heck of a performance from Nishi and the other pitchers," Sato said. "We position players have to step up more."
Sugano allowed six hits and two walks, but struck out nine, with strikeouts allowing him to pitch out of some tight spots early.
Among Thursday's other games, Jose Osuna homered twice and drove in six runs, while Munetaka Murakami also homered in the Yakult Swallows' 11-5 win over the CL-leading Chunichi Dragons.
