YOKOHAMA, Japan (Interstat) — Shunsuke Sasaki launched a first-inning grand slam and Haruto Inoue pitched six solid innings as the Yomiuri Giants held off the Yokohama BayStars 4-3 on Sunday evening at Yokohama Stadium.

Sasaki, who had been mired in a slump with only one hit in his previous seven at-bats and no plate appearances in two of the last three games, delivered the decisive blow with two outs in the first inning. After Shunsuke Urata walked and stole second, Yukinori Kishida walked and Misaki Sasahara walked to load the bases, Sasaki drove a 1-0 pitch from Kentaro Shinogi over the left-field wall for his first home run of the game and the only runs the Giants would need.

The Giants improved to 42-36-2, while the BayStars fell to 33-45-3 in front of 32,592 spectators. The game lasted 3 hours, 14 minutes.

Inoue scattered five hits over six innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out four to improve to 8-5. He worked around trouble in the fifth and sixth innings but kept the BayStars from tying the game. Raidel Martinez earned his 27th save with a perfect ninth inning, striking out one.

Yokohama mounted a comeback beginning in the fifth. Shion Matsuo led off with a double down the right-field line and scored on a single by Keita Sano. Two outs later, Atsushi Katsumata singled to shallow center to cut the lead to 4-2. In the sixth, the BayStars added another run when Matsuo singled to shallow left with one out, scoring Ryuki Watarai, who had walked and advanced on an error on a groundout by Toshiro Miyazaki. But Inoue struck out Taiki Ishikami to end the inning with the lead at 4-3.

Shinogi took the loss, allowing four earned runs on three hits and four walks over five innings. He struck out five and fell to 4-2.

The Giants’ bullpen worked four shutout innings. Hiromasa Funabasama pitched a perfect seventh with one strikeout. Kota Nakagawa followed with a scoreless eighth, striking out one. Martinez sealed the win with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh to end the game.

Yomiuri managed only five hits but capitalized on walks in the first inning. Sasaki finished 2-for-4 with the home run and four RBIs. Misaki Sasahara doubled in the fourth but was left stranded. The Giants had opportunities in the seventh when Yuta Izuguchi doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Takumi Ohshiro grounded out and Shunsuke Urata grounded out to end the threat.

Yokohama also collected five hits. Masaki Mimori singled in the first, Matsuo doubled and singled, Sano singled, and Katsumata singled. The BayStars’ bullpen was effective after Shinogi departed. Sean Reynolds struck out three in a perfect sixth. Ryoto Matsumoto, Daita Miyagi and Hiromu Ise each pitched a scoreless inning, with Ise allowing one hit.

The game was the second of a three-game series. Yomiuri won the opener 5-4 on Saturday, while Yokohama won the previous matchup on Friday 11-6 in seven innings. The Giants have won four of their last five meetings with the BayStars dating to June 26.

Yomiuri entered the game having lost four of its previous five contests, including a three-game sweep by Hanshin. The Giants had scored two or fewer runs in eight of their prior 11 games. Yokohama had won four of its previous five before the loss, including a three-game sweep at Tokyo Yakult.

Sasaki’s grand slam was his first home run since July 1 against the Swallows, a span of four games. He had gone 0-for-3 on July 9 and 0-for-0 on July 10. The left fielder’s four RBIs matched his season high.

The BayStars missed a chance to tie the game in the fifth after scoring two runs. With Sano on first after an RBI single and no outs, Taiki Ishikami sacrificed him to second. Tatsuo Ebina then grounded out to first, advancing Sano to third, before Katsumata’s single. But Masaki Mimori grounded out to second to end the inning.

In the sixth, Watarai walked and took second on an error, then scored on Matsuo’s single. But with runners on first and second and one out, Keita Sano flied out to center and Ishikami struck out to end the inning.

The Giants’ defense turned a double play in the top of the ninth when Yuta Izuguchi grounded into a 4-6-3 twin killing after Sasaki singled, ending the inning and stranding the runner.

Yomiuri will travel to Tokyo to face the Yakult Swallows on Tuesday for a three-game series. Yokohama visits the Hiroshima Toyo Carp on Tuesday for a two-game set.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Yomiuri Giants 3, Yokohama BayStars 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Yokohama a 51.60 percent win probability. Yokohama was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of plus 1.5. The total score of 4 went over the over/under line of 6.5.