In a pitchers’ duel that lived up to its billing, Giants shortstop Hayato Sakamoto made the difference in Yomiuri’s 1-0 win over the Hiroshima Carp on Wednesday.

With two outs and runners on the corners at Tochigi Prefecture’s Utsunomiya Stadium, Carp leadoff man Tomohiro Abe hit a low liner between third and short that Sakamoto dove for and speared to preserve Yomiuri’s lead.

The play made a winner out of right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (3-2) in a duel with Carp ace Kenta Maeda (1-2). Sugano allowed three hits and two walks over eight innings, while striking out 10.

The Giants’ run came in the first inning, when Sakamoto bounced a little grounder into left that third baseman Abe failed to come up with. Sakamoto was credited with the hit and an RBI as Tatsuhiko Kinjo scored from second with two outs.

“It wasn’t that pretty of a hit, but I’ll take it,” Sakamoto said.

Hirokazu Sawamura retired the Carp in order in the ninth to earn his sixth save.

Maeda worked seven innings, allowing six hits and a walk but was able to pitch out of every jam after the first inning.

BayStars 7, Tigers 4

At Yokohama Stadium, Jose Lopez’s two-run double brought Yokohama back from a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning and Sho Aranami capped the comeback with a three-run home run in a win over Hanshin.

Swallows 4, Dragons 1

At Nagoya Dome, Tokyo Yakult overturned a 1-0 deficit in a four-run sixth inning after Chunichi starter Daisuke Yamai (1-2) had retired the first 16 Swallows batters. A walk, an error and a Tetsuto Yamada RBI double tied it, and Tsuyoshi Ueda followed with a two-run bloop single.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

Fighters 5, Lions 1

At Saitama’s Seibu Prince Dome, Shohei Otani, Hokkaido Nippon Ham’s ace pitcher and designated hitter, broke the ice with his second homer of the season, and Sho Nakata followed with his seventh in a win over Seibu.

Hawks 2, Eagles 1

At Fukuoka’s Yafuoku Dome, Lee Dae-ho tied the game 1-1 in the seventh inning with his third home run in two nights and Akira Nakamura drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth as Softbank came from behind to beat Tohoku Rakuten.

Buffaloes 5, Marines 2

At Chiba’s QVC Marine Field, Orix came from a run down in the second inning on Eiichi Koyano’s two-run home run and beat Lotte. The Buffaloes extended their only winning streak of the season to five games behind six innings of two-run ball from Bryan Bullington (1-1).