Caged Tigers …

Tigers run down a run, but not a win

The Hanshin Tigers were so hungry for a run, they resorted to effectively stealing one. But they needed to pilfer a couple more to get a win, which they've only done once in interleague play.

Pinch-hitter Hiroshi Hirao’s single in the 11th inning pushed the Seibu Lions past the Tigers on Sunday at Koshien Stadium, sending run-needy Hanshin to its fourth straight loss.

Takashi Toritani came home when Keiichi Hirano got caught in a rundown with two outs in the sixth for Hanshin’s first run in 38 innings. They had been shut out their previous three consecutive games.

But the Lions rallied off Hiroyuki Kobayashi (0-2), who got through the 10th inning with no problem, as Hirao picked up his first hit in just his second at-bat of the season.

Jose Fernandez went deep for the third straight game, hitting a solo shot in the sixth, and reliever Alex Graman (1-0) earned his first win since Aug. 16, 2008 with a scoreless 10th.

The Tigers, who loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning, fell six a two-year worst six games under .500.

HAWKS 9, SWALLOWS 1

Nobuhiro Matsuda had three hits, including his Pacific League-leading ninth homer, and drove in two, and Seiichi Uchikawa also homered among his three hits as SoftBank smothered Yakult at Jingu Stadium.

The Hawks had a season-high 16 hits, and Uchikawa raised his average to .407.

DRAGONS 9, EAGLES 1

Ryosuke Hirata enjoyed his first 4-hit game, including a two-run single in a five-run first inning, as Chunichi battered Rakuten at Nagoya Dome.

Kazuki Yoshimi (3-1) held the Eagles to a run on five hits with five Ks and added a run-scoring single in the first and a bases-loaded walk in the third in winning his third decision in four starts.

BUFFALOES 4, GIANTS 1

Koji Yamasaki smacked a clutch infield single that scored the tiebreaking run, and So Taguchi motored around from second base on the play to beat the throw home in the 10th inning as Orix recovered from blowing the lead in the ninth to top Yomiuri at Tokyo Dome.

The Giants rallied for a run off Mamoru Kishida (1-2) in the ninth and had the winning run on third with one out, but couldn’t push it home. The Buffaloes rallied off Levi Romero (0-2) to avoid back-to-back bad losses.

CARP 4, MARINES 1

Kenta Kurihara busted up a 1-1 deadlock with a two-out, three-run blast, his first of the year, as Hiroshima won at The Zoom and kept Lotte winless in four interleague games.

Hiroshima starter Kenta Maeda held the Marines to a run on five hits and a walk with 10 Ks but got a no-decision. Dennis Sarfate tied for the Central League lead with his 10th save.

Yokohama and Nippon Ham were rained out.