Shogo Akiyama’s three-run home run brought the Pacific League-leading Seibu Lions from behind in a 12-5 win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Thursday.

Trailing 5-3 in the sixth inning, Akiyama, who went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and a walk, homered with two on and two outs off lefty Shinya Kayama to put the Lions in front.

Hawks starter Kenichi Nakata allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings, and gave way to fellow right-hander Akira Niho in the sixth. Niho got two tough outs to open the inning but surrendered a double to No. 8 hitter Ginjiro Sumitani and a single to Kazuki Kaneko.

Akiyama hit the first pitch he saw from Kayama and belted it out for his seventh home run of the season and his second in two nights at Yafuoku Dome. The Lions then proceeded to take batting practice off the Hawks’ bullpen, scoring six more runs over the final three innings.

SoftBank came from a run down in the second against former Hawk Brian Wolfe. Alfredo Despaigne hit a leadoff homer. Shuhei Fukuda singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Takuya Kai’s single. Yuki Yanagita made it a 4-1 game in the third with his 11th home run, a two-run shot.

Sumitani and Kaneko each singled in a run in the fourth, with the Hawks getting one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning.

Eagles 4, Buffaloes 1

At Tokyo Dome, Takayuki Kishi (4-1) allowed four hits but no walks over the distance, while veteran Takero Okajima and rookie Kazuki Tanaka each drove in a fifth-inning run in Tohoku Rakuten’s win over Orix.

Marines 7, Fighters 6 (12)

CENTRAL LEAGUE

Tigers 2, Swallows 0

At Koshien Stadium, Takumi Akiyama (4-4) allowed four hits over eight innings and Wilin Rosario’s two-run, eighth-inning double lifted Hanshin past Tokyo Yakult.

BayStars 3, Dragons 2

At Yokohama Stadium, rookie Katsuki Azuma (4-2) allowed two runs in six innings, and Jose Lopez and Yoshitomo Tsutugo hit back-to-back home runs as Yokohama came from behind in the third and beat Chunichi.