Koyo Aoyagi hit a big two-run double, scored a run and pitched into the eighth inning in a 6-3 win Friday over the Central League-leading DeNA BayStars.
Aoyagi (2-3) surrendered a first-inning run, but doubled in two and scored to make it 3-1 in the Tigers' four-run second at Hyogo Prefecture's Koshien Stadium outside Osaka.
The side-arm right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in 7-1/3 innings while striking out six.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, Aoyagi came to the plate with two on after DeNA walked the previous hitter intentionally to face the pitcher with two outs.
Aoyagi, however, pulled a pitch from DeNA ace Shota Imanaga (2-1) past third and down the line for a two-run double. Aoyagi then scored on a two-out pop fly that fell uncaught in shallow left field.
The Tigers outfielders, on the other hand, delivered big plays in the second and third innings that helped Aoyagi keep DeNA in check. Teruaki Sato, who singled to open the Tigers' second, homered in the third to make it a 5-1 game.
"I was quite nervous in the first inning, but the defense bailed me out and I was able to hang in there," said Aoyagi, who won 13 games in each of the past two seasons but had not won this year since Opening Day.
Elsewhere, the Chunichi Dragons blew out the Yakult Swallows 7-1, while the Hiroshima Carp tied it in the ninth against Yomiuri Giants closer Taisei Ota before a big 10th inning lifted them to a 9-4 victory.
In the Pacific League, Yuki Yanagita drove in two runs and scored two to lead the SoftBank Hawks past the Orix Buffaloes 4-3.
