Tatsuhiro Tamura opened the scoring with a three-run home run and right-hander Atsuki Taneichi earned his first career win as the Chiba Lotte Marines beat the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles 4-2 on Monday.

In front of crowd of more than 28,200 at Rakuten Seimei Park, Tamura went deep into the left field stands in the second inning against right-hander Hiroki Kondo (0-2).

Taneichi (1-0) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four over five innings. He was making his first start of the season, having played eight games so far as a reliever.

“It wasn’t my best pitching, but I’m glad I earned the win,” said the third-year pro. “I wanted to pitch as many innings as possible. I’m exhausted but I’m glad I was able to throw five innings.”

He allowed Hideto Asamura to lead off the fourth with a double and score on cleanup hitter Hiroaki Shimauchi’s RBI double. Ginji Akaminai singled in another run to cap off the two-run inning.

Katsuya Kakunaka hit a fifth-inning, RBI single for the Marines’ fourth run of the game.

Buffaloes 5, Lions 3

At Osaka’s Kyocera Dome, Masataka Yoshida’s eighth-inning, two-run homer broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the Orix Buffaloes over the Saitama Seibu Lions. Keisuke Sawada (1-1) picked up the win for pitching a scoreless eighth in the Buffaloes’ victory.

Hawks 9, Fighters 6

At Sapporo Dome, the Hawks came from behind to defeat Nippon Ham. Kenta Imamiya put the visiting Hawks ahead with a sixth-inning RBI double.

CENTRAL LEAGUE

BayStars 5, Giants 3

Takehiro Ishikawa blasted a tie-breaking, two-run homer in the eighth in the BayStar’s come-from-behind win over Yomiuri. The BayStars snapped a 10-game losing streak.

Tigers 2, Dragons 0

In Nagoya, Koyo Aoyagi (2-2) fanned six and scattered five hits in his first career complete game shutout as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Chunichi Dragons.

Swallows 7, Carp 4

At Jingu Stadium, right-handed reliever Ryota Igarashi (4-0) earned his fourth win for throwing two perfect innings as Yakult defeated Hiroshima.