 Fighters pitcher Kazumasa Kikuchi, who had pitched a scoreless seventh inning, was relieved by Shintaro Ejiri in the eighth after putting two batters on base.Abe gave the Giants two insurance runs when he drove home both of Ejiri's inherited runners with a two-out single.Kroon was brought in to start the ninth; despite allowing a base runner on the Giants' third error of the game, Kroon preserved the team's three-run lead.