Marwin Gonzalez's grand slam capped a six-run rally in the top of the seventh inning as the Orix Buffaloes stampeded to a 6-0 interleague win over the Yakult Swallows on Sunday.
The victory at Jingu Stadium gave the Pacific League's Buffaloes a three-game sweep of the Central League's Swallows, losers of six straight, in a rematch of the past two Japan Series.
World Baseball Classic-winning Samurai Japan team member Hiroya Miyagi (6-2) earned the win after giving the Buffaloes six shutout innings in which he fanned five, while allowing seven hits and a pair of walks.
"I gave up hits but managed to turn things around," said the 21-year-old southpaw, who escaped a jam with two runners and none out in the first inning. "I kept in mind that I needed to stay on the attack."
The reigning Japan Series champions blew open the game after Yuma Tongu led off the seventh with a solo home run off reliever Tomoya Hoshi (1-2), taking the mound following six shutout innings of three-hit ball from starter Reiji Kozawa.
The Buffaloes loaded the bases with two out against right-hander Shota Maruyama, who walked in a run before the Swallows sent in Ryuta Konno to pitch them out of the jam. Former Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins utility player Gonzalez got hold of the righty's 1-1 fastball and sent it deep to right field.
The PL dominated Sunday's interleague action at CL ballparks, with the Seibu Lions beating the Hiroshima Carp 11-4, the Nippon Ham Fighters blanking the Chunichi Dragons 4-0, and the Rakuten Eagles coming back to edge the Yomiuri Giants 2-1.
The DeNA BayStars flew the flag for the CL, beating the Lotte Marines 6-1 and handing 21-year-old ace Roki Sasaki (5-2) his second loss.
