Tomoyuki Sugano improved to a perfect 3-0 to start the season as the Yomiuri Giants held off the Hiroshima Carp 4-2 on Thursday.

Sugano allowed two earned runs on six hits — including solo home runs to Ryuhei Matsuyama and Yoshihiro Maru — in 7-2/3 innings at Tokyo Dome.

Giants manager Tatsunori Hara’s nephew struck out eight and didn’t issue one free pass in the 108-pitch outing. Sugano credited the win to his batterymate and rookie Seiji Kobayashi, who backed him up with three hits in as many at-bats.

“We spoke before I took the mound and I worked with him all spring,” Sugano said. “Kobayashi called a good game; I won because of him.

“I’ve been good friends with Kobayashi since our college days. I never dreamed of wearing the same uniform as him and sharing this stage in the pros.”

Hayato Sakamoto hit a tiebreaking solo shot in the sixth to make it 3-2 for Yomiuri, which won for the second straight night while sending the Carp to consecutive defeats for the first time this year.

Kentaro Nishimura wiggled out of a ninth-inning jam to collect his fourth save. Hiroshima had runners in scoring position with one out, but Nishimura struck out Matsuyama and Eishin Soyogi to end the game.

Dragons 8, Swallows 6

At Nagoya Dome, Chunichi’s Ryosuke Hirata broke a 6-6 tie in the the eighth inning with a two-run home run off Taichi Ishiyama, sending Tokyo Yakult to its fourths straight loss.

Tigers 6, BayStars 5

At Koshien Stadium, Hanshin edged Yokohama with two outs in the bottom of the ninth thanks to Hiroki Uemoto’s first career walkoff hit.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

Fighters 5, Eagles 3

At Sapporo Dome, Haruki Nishikawa’s go-ahead three-run home run in the fifth bailed out Hokkaido Nippon Ham starter Yuki Saito, who was chased by Tohoku Rakuten after giving up three runs in just 1-1/3 innings.

Buffaloes 6, Marines 4

At Osaka’s Kyocera Dome, Orix came from behind to beat Chiba Lotte, hopping back on the winning track behind long balls by Yoshio Itoi, Esteban German and Wily Mo Pena.

Hawks 13, Lions 3

At Seibu Dome, every Fukuoka Softbank starter had a hit as the Hawks pounded Seibu for 13 runs on 19 hits, both season-highs.

Yuki Yanagida led the onslaught with four RBIs.