Hisanori Yasuda's two-run ninth-inning double and a hat-trick of fielding errors brought the Lotte Marines from behind against veteran closer Yoshihisa Hirano in a 6-3 Pacific League victory over the Orix Buffaloes on Wednesday.
The Buffaloes handed Hirano (1-1) a 3-1 lead at Hotto Motto Field Kobe. But three fumbled grounders at second base by defensive substitute Ryoichi Adachi contributed to the closer not getting his 250th career save in Japan.
Lotte's Ryusei Ogawa, who had three singles already in the game, opened the top of the ninth by reaching on a tough grounder that Adachi dropped for his first error. Back-to-back no-out singles made it a one-run game.
Adachi's second fumbled grounder loaded the bases before Yasuda's one-out liner to left got over Orix's shallow outfield defense for a two-run double.
"I'm seeing the ball well," Yasuda said. "I was hoping it would get past the outfielder and it did. The veterans did a good job setting the table, and I'm glad I could contribute."
Adachi's PL-record third error of the inning allowed the final run to score before he cleanly fielded a routine grounder to end the rally.
In other games Wednesday, the Rakuten Eagles beat the PL-leading SoftBank Hawks 4-3, snapping their seven-game win streak.
In the Central League, Jose Osuna and Munetaka Murakami each hit their sixth home run as the Yakult Swallows beat the Yomiuri Giants 4-0. The Swallows won three straight for the first time this season, while the Giants suffered their first three-game sweep.
