SAPPORO, Japan (Interstat) — In a dramatic comeback, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Orix Buffaloes 5-4 on Sunday, taking a pivotal playoff victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 35,024 at Sapporo Dome.

The win, which took 3 hours and 20 minutes, gives the Fighters a commanding lead in the series after they shut out the Buffaloes 2-0 a day earlier.

Orix appeared to be in control for much of the game, building a 4-1 lead by the third inning. The Buffaloes broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second when Yutaro Sugimoto launched a solo home run to left-center field.

The lead was short-lived, as Nippon-Ham answered in the bottom of the frame. After a Shu Yamagata single and a sacrifice bunt, Shun Mizutani singled to shallow center to drive in the tying run.

Orix’s offense exploded in the third. With one out and a runner on second, Taishi Hirooka singled to put runners on the corners. After a strikeout, Kotaro Kurebayashi came to the plate with two outs and delivered the decisive blow of the early game, a three-run homer to left field that gave the Buffaloes a 4-1 advantage.

The Fighters chipped away at the deficit in their half of the third. Franmil Reyes singled and Yuya Gunji was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Kotaro Kiyomiya, who tripled to center field, clearing the bases and cutting the Orix lead to 4-3.

The score held there until the fateful eighth inning, as both bullpens traded zeros. Orix reliever Allen Kuri provided four scoreless innings of relief, allowing just four hits. The Fighters’ relief corps, including Shoma Kanemura, Kenta Uehara and Taisho Tamai, combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings to keep the game within reach.

In the bottom of the eighth, Orix’s Sho Iwasaki retired the first two batters he faced. The game then turned when Chusei Mannami and pinch-hitter Kota Yazawa hit back-to-back singles. Reyes then delivered the game-winning hit, a single over the right fielder that scored both runners, giving Nippon-Ham its first lead of the night at 5-4.

Yukiya Saito entered in the ninth for the Fighters and slammed the door shut, striking out two batters in a perfect inning to secure the save.

Kenta Uehara earned the win for Nippon-Ham, improving his record to 4-1. Iwasaki took the loss for Orix, falling to 5-2. Saito notched his fifth save of the season.

The victory improves Nippon-Ham’s overall record to 84-58 with one tie, while Orix falls to 74-68 with three ties. The two teams are scheduled to meet again Monday and Tuesday in Sapporo as the playoff series continues.