Baseball: Nakamura, Softbank Bats Come Alive In Rout Of Giants

Baseball: Nakamura, Softbank bats come alive in rout of GiantsAkira Nakamura hit a bases-loaded two-run single to rally his team in the Softbank Hawks' 13-5 romp over the Yomiuri Giants on Wednesday night.

Softbank banged out 17 hits in front of a crowd of 35,490 at Yafuoku Dome. The Giants, who were missing scheduled starter Tetsuya Utsumi due to discomfort in his left-hander's shoulder, allowed a season-worst 13 runs.

The Hawks took a 2-0 lead on Lee Dae Ho's two-run homer in the first before Fuminori Yokogawa hit a bases-clearing double with the bases loaded in the top of the second to put Yomiuri ahead. Softbank retook the lead on Nakamura's second-inning single and Yuki Yanagita added an RBI single for a 5-3 lead in the frame.