Having a blast …

MIlledge leads way as Swallows explode on Dragons again

It was the Fourth of July in the United States, and Lastings Milledge put on his own fireworks exhibition.

MIlledge homered twice and singled twice to drive four as the Yakult Swallows banged out 15 hits -- the third straight game they’ve had at least that many -- in a 12-3 drubbing of the Chunichi Dragons on Thursday at Jingu Stadium.

It was the first-year import’s first two-homer game, and it helped the Swallows score 12 runs against Chunichi for the second consecutive game.

Shohei Tateyama (6-5) worked seven innings, holding the Dragons to two runs on seven hits and two walks with two Ks for the win.

Shingo Kawabata added two hits, including his sixth homer, and Tateyama squeezed in a run in a four-run fourth to help his own cause.

GIANTS 6, BAYSTARS 3

Shuichi Murata, who bailed out of Yokohama as a free agent in the offseason, tormented his old team with two hits and three RBIs, and Yoshiyuki Kamei chipped in with three hits and an RBI as Yomiuri won on the road.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

MARINES 2, EAGLES 1

Shoitsu Omtasu clubbed a two-run homer in the second, and Yuki Karakawa (8-2) fired seven strong innings as Lotte edged Rakuten at The Q.

Karakawa won on his 23rd birthday to grab a share of PL lead in wins.

FIGHTERS 4, BUFFALOES 3

Sho Nakata doubled in a run and added a sac fly in the sixth that turned out to be the difference as Tomoya Yagi (4-2) and four relievers held Orix to three runs in a win at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

Kei Igawa (0-2), making his third outing since returning from New York Yankee purgatory, threw 106 pitches over seven innings and kept the Buffaloes in the game after early struggles.

LIONS 4, HAWKS 3

Esteban German singled twice and came home on an error in the fifth for the fourth run as Seibu edged host SoftBank.