Pinch-hitting Katsuya Kakunaka blasted a two-run, walk-off home run as the Lotte Marines won 2-1 to condemn the SoftBank Hawks to their 12 straight defeat in the Pacific League on Monday.
With a runner on first and two outs in the ninth, the 36-year-old veteran pulled a 0-1 fastball to right at Zozo Marine Stadium off SoftBank closer Roberto Osuna (2-1), who played for Lotte last season.
"I could tell (it was going deep) the moment I hit it," Kakunaka said after his fifth home run. "I can't hit many homers, to begin with, so I'm happy with whatever ones I get."
Lotte's flame-throwing right-hander Roki Sasaki struck out nine and held SoftBank to four hits and a walk over six innings, but was close to being tagged with the loss after he gave up an RBI single to Akira Nakamura in the first inning and did not get a run support.
SoftBank starter Shuta Ishikawa threw seven scoreless innings allowing four hits and three walks. Lotte's third reliever Takahiro Nishimura (2-0) earned the win after throwing a perfect ninth.
