Back in the saddle …

Hawks move into 1st as Houlton beats Eagles again

The SoftBank Hawks moved back into the Pacific League’s top spot on Tuesday, thanks mostly to righty D.J. Houlton’s top-flight performance against the Rakuten Eagles.

The fourth-year hurler equaled his Japan high with his 11th win, and Yuya Hasegawa homered as SoftBank took a one-game lead over second-place Nippon Ham with a 2-1 victory over the Eagles at FYJ Dome.

The Hawks started the second half by pulling a game in front of the surprising Fighters.

“I thought it was really important just to start the second half of the season off right a win," Houlton said during the hero interview. "I hope we continue to roll and finish the season strong,” said Houlton, who held the Eagles to five hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.

Houlton was 11-8 in 2009, but has beaten the Eagles in five consecutive decisions this season (six straight dating back to last season) and at 11-3 can build on a career year in Japan.

“It feels good to do it this early in the season. Hopefully we can just continue to play well, and I don’t really care how many games I win, I just want the team to win.”

Reliever Brian Falkenborg, who has been flipped back to the closer role while Takahiro Mahara finds his form, allowed two hits with two down in the ninth, but got the final out for his ninth save.

Hasegawa, who has been pushed to the end of the bench with the enormous amount of talent the Hawks have in the outfield, slugged his third of season with the bases empty in the third, and Nobuhiko Matsunaka’s RBI single later in the frame proved to be the difference.

Eagles rookie Takahiro Shiomi (3-5) pitched well enough to win, but walk away the loser. The lefty worked seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks with nine Ks.

Kazuo Matsui’s six-inning hit gave him 1,500 in his career in Japan. He has 2,115 in his pro career, including his time in the majors.

BUFFALOES 6, FIGHTERS 3

Takahiro “T.O.” Okada evened things at 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the fifth, and Aarom Baldiris followed with a two-run homer -- his seventh -- to power Orix past host Nippon Ham.

Chihiro Kaneko (5-1) worked 6.2 strong innings and Mamoru Kishida set down the side in order in the ninth for his 17th save.

LIONS 6, MARINES 5

Hiroyuki Nakajima had two hits, including a key two-run double in a six-run sixth (the team’s biggest since last July 29) to bring Seibu back from an early deficit, and rookie submariner Kazuhisa Makita wriggled out of a blown-save situation in the ninth as the Lions topped Lotte at home for the second consecutive game.

Makita allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in the ninth, but got the final out for his fifth save.

CENRTAL LEAGUE

TIGERS 5, DRAGONS 3

Takashi Toritani tripled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth and Takahiro Arai followed with a sac fly as host Hanshin came back to down Chunichi and take a firm hold on second place.

Pinch-hitter Issei Morita, a third-round pick in 2007, slugged a two-run homer in his debut at-bat in the fifth, becoming the first Tigers player ever to do that. He hit an opposite-field shot just inside the pole.

BAYSTARS 1, GIANTS 0

Fifth-year righty Kentaro Takasaki (4-7) went six-plus scoreless innings, and four relievers shut Yomiuri down over the final three innings as Yokohama snapped its latest skid -- this one three games -- to win at The Big Egg.

Terrmel Slege’s scoring flyball in the fourth was the game’s only run, coming off hard-luck loser Dicky Gonzalez (1-2). The Puerto Rican went seven, allowing seven hits and a walk with two Ks.

CARP 6, SWALLOWS 2

Akihiro Higashide had three hits and two RBIs, and Shogo Kimura doubled and tripled to drive in a pair as Hiroshima downed first-place Yakult at Jingu.

Masato Akamatsu went 4-for-4 to lead a season-high 15 hits for the Carp.