Aarom Baldiris hit a two-run home run that put the Central League-leading Yokohama BayStars in front for good in a wild 6-5 win over the Hiroshima Carp.

The BayStars overturned a three-run deficit against veteran Hiroki Kuroda with a run in the fourth and three in the fifth. Baldiris drove in Yokohama’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Carp, however, regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth against BayStars starter Shun Yamaguchi. Pinch hitter Tetsuya Kokubo tied it with an RBI single and a throwing error by Yamaguchi on a nubber in front of the mound allowed the go-ahead run to score.

With one on and two outs in the eighth, Baldiris went the other way, driving a 2-0 pitch from Ryuji Ichioka (0-4) into the stands in right.

“I hit it well,” Baldiris said through an interpreter. “Everyday someone different steps up, and we’re getting good results.”

Kuroda, who was pitching for the first time since May 1 because of leg issues, allowed four runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. The right-hander struck out one.

Yamaguchi allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits and three walks, while striking out six. Shuichiro Osada (1-0) worked a scoreless seventh to earn the win, while Yoslan Herrera worked the eighth and Kenjiro Tanaka pitched out of trouble in the ninth to earn his first career save.

Giants 2, Swallows 1

At Tokyo Dome, Aaron Poreda (4-1) worked 7⅓ shutout innings and Hayato Sakamoto broke a scoreless tie with a two-run, seventh-inning homer as Yomiuri handed last-place Tokyo Yakult its eighth straight loss.

Tigers 2, Dragons 1

At Nagoya Dome, former Kansas City Royals farmhand Mario Santiago (1-0) allowed a run in seven innings to win his top-flight debut as Hanshin came from behind in a two-run eighth to beat Chunichi.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

Hawks 3, Lions 3 (12)

At Fukuoka’s Yafuoku Dome, Seibu’s submarine right-hander Kazuhisa Makita hit two batters in the seventh and surrendered the tying run on a bases-loaded walk to reserve catcher Hiroaki Takaya, who also had a two-run double in the first.

Fighters 3, Buffaloes 2

At Sapporo Dome, Jeremy Hermida doubled in Hokkaido Nippon Ham’s first run in the sixth inning, and Brandon Laird belted a come-from-behind two-run home run in the same frame. Top draft pick Kohei Arihara (1-0) allowed two runs over six innings to beat Orix and win his pro debut.