A chance to shine …

Ramirez blasts game-winning HR as ’Stars inch closer to 5th

The Yokohama BayStars look to be on the rise. At least Alex Ramirez is.

The veteran slugger continued his hot summer, cracking a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning -- just minutes after the Tigers had evened the score -- to boost the BayStars past Hanshin 4-2 at Yokohama Stadium on Tuesday.

The win moved the BayStars, who have finished in the Central League cellar the past four seasons, within four games of the fifth-place Tigers. Ramirez, in his first season with the club, relished his moment in the spotlight.

“It’s a great feeling, just to be here and see all of you. It’s my first time this year [on the hero interview podium] and I feel very happy,” said Ramirez, who hammered a fastball from Daiki Enokida (2-2) deep down the left-field line. “As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going to go out and it was a great feeling,” said Ramirez, who had two hits.

Hitoshi Fujie (2-2) walked away with the win, despite giving up the lead in the top of the frame. Shun Yamaguchi set down the side in order in the ninth [a rare feat for him] to notch his 16th save.

Righty Daisuke Miura worked seven innings on one-run ball, working through a comebacker that popped him in the left shoulder, but Fujie blew the lead as Keiichi Hirano knocked home the tying run with a two-out dunker that fell in center.

CARP 10, SWALLOWS 3

Yoshiyuki Ishihara’s two-run sixth-inning double snapped a 1-1 tie, and righty Kenta Maeda (12-6) followed with a double of his own as third-place Hiroshima pulled away from Yakult late to win at Jingu Stadium.

Eishin Soyogi connected for a solo shot in the seventh and Soichiro Amaya launched a three-run blast as the Carp put up a five spot to open up their lead to 3.5 games over the fourth-place Swallows.

DRAGONS 5, GIANTS 1

Tony Blanco returned after missing six weeks because of a broken hand and collected two RBI hits, and Kazuki Yoshimi (11-4) danced in and out of trouble for seven innings as Chunichi topped Yomiuri in Akita [where I spent most of last week].

Takehiro Donoue was also one of five Dragons with two hits, driving in a run in a four-run third and adding a double in the fifth to help back Yoshimi, who gave up eight hits and a walk but fanned seven.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

LIONS 6, FIGHTERS 3

The second of Ginjiro Sumitani’s RBI singles broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth, and pinch-hitter Hisashi Takayama slugged a game-breaking three-game shot [his first homer since June 30, 2007] as first-place Seibu sent host Nippon Ham to its 11th loss this month.

Takayuki Kishi (10-9) held Nippon Ham to two runs on four hits and four walks [with eight Ks] to reach double digits in wins for the first time in two seasons.

HAWKS 1, BUFFALOES 0

Hiroki Kokubo staked Tadashi Settsu (13-5) to a first-inning run, and the righty made it hold up by firing a walk-free two-hitter as SoftBank blanked Orix.

Settsu, who didn’t allow a runner to reach second base, moved into the league lead in wins by fanning eight for his second shutout this season.

MARINES 9, EAGLES 1

Seth Greisinger (9-6) held Rakuten to a run on six hits and no walks [with six Ks] over eight innings, and Tomoya Satozaki and Josh Whitesell each had three hits and two RBIs as Lotte piled on late for a win at The Q.