YOKOHAMA, Japan (Interstat) — In a dramatic reversal fueled by a two-out, seventh-inning rally, the Yokohama BayStars erased a four-run deficit to defeat the Hiroshima Carp 6-5 on Sunday afternoon and evening at Yokohama Stadium, securing a series victory in their Central League matchup.

A crowd of 33,387 watched as the BayStars, who had been held to just two runs through six innings, erupted for four runs with their backs against the wall in the seventh to snatch the lead and ultimately the game. The comeback handed the Carp their second consecutive one-run loss in the series and dropped Hiroshima to 5-7 on the season, while Yokohama improved to 5-8.

For six and two-thirds innings, Hiroshima starter Hiroki Tokoda was largely in control, limiting Yokohama to two runs on seven hits. His offense had staked him to a lead with a run in the second and a three-run outburst in the fourth.

The Carp’s early scoring came via small ball and timely hitting. In the second, Elehuris Montero led off with a single, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on Shogo Sakakura’s sacrifice fly. The fourth inning proved more damaging for Yokohama starter Yutaro Ishida. After an error put Kaito Kozono on second, Montero singled him to third. Sakakura and Tai Sasaki followed with consecutive RBI singles, and Tokoda helped his own cause with a two-out single to drive in the third run of the frame, making it 4-0.

Yokohama began chipping away in the bottom of the fourth. Cooper Hummel launched a solo home run to center field, and later in the inning, Yuudai Yamamoto doubled down the left-field line to score Keita Sano, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

The game then settled into a pitchers’ duel, with Ishida finishing five innings of two-run ball and the BayStars’ bullpen keeping Hiroshima at bay. The tension built until the decisive bottom of the seventh.

With two outs and nobody on, Tokoda was one strike away from escaping the inning. Instead, Asahi Miyashita connected for a solo home run to right field, pulling Yokohama within a run at 4-3. Tatsuo Ebina followed with a double, ending Tokoda’s day. Reliever Daisuke Moriura entered and immediately yielded a double to Atsushi Katsumata, which scored Ebina to tie the game at 4-4.

The turning point came next. Pinch-hitter Ryuki Watarai, facing Moriura, crushed a two-run home run to right field, completing the stunning four-run, two-out rally and giving Yokohama its first lead of the day at 6-4. Watarai’s blast was the most important play of the game, transforming a one-run deficit into a one-run lead and electrifying the home crowd.

Hiroshima responded in the eighth when Sandro Fabian hit a two-out solo homer off reliever Koh Nakagawa to close the gap to 6-5. Nakagawa recovered to record the final out of the inning, earning the win to move to 1-0.

In the ninth, Yokohama closer Yasuaki Yamasaki took over. He needed just seven pitches to retire the side in order, inducing a flyout and two groundouts to seal the victory and record his fourth save of the season. Moriura took the loss for Hiroshima, falling to 1-2.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 4-2 Hiroshima victory. However, the BayStars’ late offensive explosion validated the same service’s ELO rating, which gave Yokohama a 62.5% probability to win. The combined 11 runs sailed over the posted over/under line of 6.5.

The series win gives Yokohama momentum as they head on the road for a two-game set against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows beginning Tuesday. Hiroshima, meanwhile, looks to regroup quickly as they travel to face the Chunichi Dragons in a two-game series starting Tuesday. The two clubs will meet again for a three-game rematch in Hiroshima next weekend.