Matt Carasiti tossed four solid innings on Wednesday and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows’ bullpen maintained an early lead for a 2-1 victory over the Yokohama BayStars.

Despite outhitting the Swallows, the BayStars were unable to take advantage of several chances at Jingu Stadium and suffered their third straight defeat.

The BayStars fell to fourth place in the Central League behind the Yomiuri Giants in third, as both teams look to clinch the final spot in the Climax Series.

Tetsuto Yamada put Yakult on the board with a solo shot against Yokohama rookie Masaya Kyoyama (6-6) in the first. Takahiro Araki followed up with his first RBI in three months to double the home team’s lead.

In the eighth, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo singled and scored on a sacrifice fly for the BayStars’ lone run.

Carasiti (7-3) struck out three and scattered three hits, while Swallows starter Juri Hara gave up two hits in a scoreless first and did not factor in the decision. Taichi Ishiyama closed out the ninth for his 33rd save.

Carp 4, Tigers 3 (11)

At Hiroshima’s Mazda Stadium, Yoshihiro Maru drew a walk off Suguru Iwazaki (1-3) in the 11th and scored on Seiya Suzuki’s double as Hiroshima topped Hansin in extra innings.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

Lions 7, Fighters 3

At Sapporo Dome, Hideto Asamura’s two-run homer in the third overturned a 2-1 deficit, and Fumikazu Kimura’s three-run shot in the fourth sealed Seibu’s win over Takayuki Kato (5-8) and Hokkaido Nippon Ham.

Kona Takahashi (2-1) issued seven walks but fanned eight and allowed only two runs over eight innings.

Hawks 10, Marines 2

At Fukuoka’s Yafuoku Dome, Fukuoka SoftBank picked up four early runs and broke the game open with back-to-back three-run innings in the fifth and sixth against Chiba Lotte.

Veteran lefty Kenji Otonari, who will retire this season, faced the Hawks’ leadoff batter and was presented with flowers by Kimiyasu Kudo, his manager for three of 11 seasons with SoftBank.

Otonari (0-2) gave up a single to former teammate Seiji Uebayashi and was charged with the loss. It was only his fourth appearance for a top team in the last three seasons.