Shinji Takahashi and Eiichi Koyano drove in seven runs between them as the Nippon Ham Fighters beat the Yomiuri Giants 8-4 Wednesday to even the Japan Series at two games apiece.

Takahashi put Nippon Ham ahead 2-0 with a bases-loaded single in a four-run third inning and added a solo homer in the fifth off Hisanori Takahashi (0-1) at Tokyo Dome.

Kensuke Tanaka and Hichori Morimoto had back-to-back singles with one out in the third. After Tanaka stole third, Atsunori Inaba drew a walk to load the bases for Takahashi.

The cleanup hitter then lined the first pitch he saw from the Yomiuri left-hander into left field.

"In that situation, I got myself ready to hit anything in the strike zone," Takahashi said. "I couldn't sleep well last night after we lost. I'm glad that I got a hit in that bases-loaded situation."

Koyano added a two-run double in the four-run inning and singled in two more runs in the eighth that extended Nippon Ham's lead to 8-1.

Tomoya Yagi (1-0) threw five innings of one-run ball, scattering seven hits and two walks.

The left-hander faced two men on with no outs in the first and a runner on third with one out in the second but got out of both jams.

Morimoto pushed Nippon Ham's lead to 6-1 in the seventh when he laid down a squeeze bunt.

"We once had a seven-run lead but they came close late in the game. It was tough until the end," said Nippon Ham manager Masataka Nashida. "I'm glad that we got a win here at Tokyo Dome and this second win of the series guaranteed a trip back to Sapporo. We'll try to keep playing our game -- getting on base for the next hitter and playing solid defense."

Tetsuya Matsumoto went 3-for-5 with an RBI single in the third and Alex Ramirez hit a three-run homer off Takayuki Kanamori in the eighth for Yomiuri.

It was yet another disappointing start for Hisanori Takahashi. In Game 6 of last year's Japan Series against the Seibu Lions, he was pulled after giving up three runs in two innings in a 4-1 loss. The Lions went on to win Game 7, denying the Giants their 21st Japan Series title.

"We got on base with no outs many, many times but just couldn't follow through," said Yomiuri manager Tatsunori Hara. "Tonight, my players just couldn't help each other enough."

The Giants outhit the Fighters 13-11 but hit into three double plays.