FUKUOKA, Japan (Interstat) — In a result that defied pregame projections and reversed recent fortunes, the struggling Saitama Seibu Lions erupted for eight runs on 11 hits to defeat the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 8-6 on Tuesday night at a sold-out Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome.

A crowd of 38,091 watched as the Lions, installed as slim favorites but given only a 26.3 percent win probability by statistical models, handed the Pacific League-leading Hawks just their third loss of the young season. The victory snapped a five-game winless skid for Seibu and improved their record to 3-6-1, while SoftBank fell to 7-3.

The most critical sequence of the three-hour, four-minute contest came in the top of the fifth inning, breaking open what had been a tight 3-3 game. After SoftBank had clawed back with a solo homer from Hotaka Yamakawa in the second and a two-run shot from Kensuke Kondoh in the third, Seibu starter Chihiro Sumida settled in. His offense then provided a decisive cushion.

Facing reliever Tomohisa Ohzeki, who would be tagged with the loss, Masayuki Kuwahara led off the fifth with a single. After a flyout, Junichiro Kishi drove a double down the left-field line to score Kuwahara and break the tie. The next batter, Yuta Nakami, then launched a two-run homer to right-center, stretching the lead to 6-3 and energizing the visiting contingent.

That outburst made a winner of Sumida, who turned in a vital performance for a Lions team in desperate need of a quality start. The right-hander worked seven strong innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. He improved to 1-0.

Seibu had opened the scoring in the second inning on an RBI single from Yuto Koga. They then took a 3-1 lead in the fourth when Shuta Tonosaki connected for a two-run homer off SoftBank starter Kazuo Ohno, following a leadoff double from Seiya Watanabe. Tonosaki finished 1 for 4 with three RBIs.

The Lions added what proved to be crucial insurance in the eighth inning, pushing their lead to 8-3. They capitalized on a SoftBank error and scored two runs on a fielder’s choice groundout by Tonosaki and a two-out RBI single from pinch-hitter Natsuo Takizawa.

Those runs became necessary when the Hawks’ powerful lineup stirred in the bottom of the eighth. With Sumida out, Seibu’s bullpen faltered. After two quick outs, Ryoya Kurihara and Yuki Yanagita singled to bring Yamakawa to the plate as the tying run. The slugging first baseman delivered, crushing a double to left-center to clear the bases and cut the deficit to 8-5. Yamakawa went 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

Hakua Iwaki entered for Seibu in the ninth to close it but faced immediate trouble. Pinch-hitter Kenta Tanigawara singled, and Tatsuru Yanagimachi doubled him home with one out, bringing the score to 8-6 and moving the potential tying run to the plate. Iwaki, however, induced a flyout from Kondoh and, after falling behind Ryoya Kurihara 3-0, battled back to get a game-ending flyout to center, securing his second save of the year.

The Hawks’ bullpen, aside from Shuto Ogata’s 1.2 perfect innings of relief, struggled to contain the Lions’ attack. Ohzeki took the loss, falling to 1-1 after surrendering three runs in the pivotal fifth inning.

The teams will continue their series Wednesday night at Yahuoku! Dome. The Lions will look to build on the momentum from this upset, while the Hawks aim to return to their winning ways. Seibu continues its road trip with a three-game set in Chiba against the Marines starting Friday, while SoftBank will host the Lions once more Thursday before heading to Hokkaido for a weekend series.