FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- The SoftBank Hawks hit three home runs and came up big defensively Wednesday to beat the Nippon Ham Fighters 5-2 in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series final stage.

The Hawks lead the six-game series at Fukuoka's Mizuho PayPay Dome 2-0 thanks to the one-win advantage given to league champions.

Fighters ace Hiromi Ito, who was held out of the weekend's first-stage, allowed four runs over 5-2/3 innings and was unable to keep pace with the Hawks' big starter, former Fighter Kohei Arihara, who went seven innings.

The visitors tied it 1-1 in the third inning but a tremendous defensive play by Hawks second baseman Hikaru Kawase started an inning-ending double play to save a run, and SoftBank took the lead for good in the home half.

Kawase singled with one out and scored the go-ahead run on a Hotaka Yamakawa double. Kenta Imamiya whose single helped set the table for SoftBank's first run, homered to open the fourth to make it 3-1.

"I haven't hit Ito very well so tonight I was figured I might as well be aggressive from the first pitch," said Imamiya, who went 3-for-4.

Ryoya Kurihara and Yamakawa also hit solo homers for the Hawks, while Franmil Reyes homered for the Fighters.

In the Central League final stage, the DeNA BayStars remained unbeaten in three postseason games, as Anthony Kay allowed a hit and four walks over six innings in a 2-0 win over the CL champion Yomiuri Giants in their opening game.

With the Giants' one-win advantage, their six-game series is now tied 1-1. The winners of both series will meet in the Japan Series, starting Oct. 26.