The SoftBank Falcons (69-58), leaders of the Pacific League, continued their steady pace with a 7-3 victory over the Rakuten Eagles in the Japan Professional Baseball League.

Havana, September 15 (RHC)-- The SoftBank Falcons (69-58), leaders of the Pacific League, continued their steady pace with a 7-3 victory over the Rakuten Eagles in the Japan Professional Baseball League.

The Fukuoka team, which is already dreaming of returning to the postseason, achieved its fifth consecutive victory, in which Cuban Alfredo Despaigne hit a single in three innings, scored a run, received a ticket and a balk.

The West Indian slugger, who has three hits in his last four games, raised his average to .262 and his hit total to 22 at Sendai's Rakuten Seimei Park as a visitor.

The Orix Buffaloes (69-62), second in their own section, beat the Nippon Ham Wrestlers 3-2 in 10 innings at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, while the Lotte Marinos edged the Seibu Lions 8-1 at the ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba.

The Japan Baseball League regular season has less than 20 games remaining, which would end on October 3, with the first game of the final play-off series to begin on October 22.

The Central League is led by the Yakult Swallows (73-53), followed by DeNA with 66 wins and 58 losses, six games behind.