It’s always an intriguing showdown when one of the former stars of the Japanese League faces another in a major league game. So far, Kosuke Fukudome is having more fun than Takashi Saito when the Chicago Cubs play the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Fukudome opened the scoring with a solo homer and drove in the eventual game-winner with a one-out single in the ninth against the Dodgers’ All-Star closer, leading the Cubs to a 5-4 victory on Thursday night. It was his second hit in as many at-bats against Saito.

Fukudome got a 2-2 slider down in the zone and grounded it through the right side of the infield to enable the Cubs to regain the lead after they squandered a 4-0 margin.

“He kept fouling off those fastballs, so we tried to get him to quit on a backdoor slider and (Saito) left it down over the plate,” catcher Russell Martin said. “If it’s a couple of inches to the left, it’s probably a double play. But he found a hole, and that was it.”

Ryan Theriot opened the ninth with a double down the right field line against Saito (3-2). One out later, Aramis Ramirez was hit by a pitch on the hand—or at least umpire Eric Cooper thought so—and manager Joe Torre argued to no avail along with Martin.

It nicked something. I don’t know it was his the knob of the bat or his hand,” Martin said. “I know it didn’t nick him as hard as he made it look, but that’s what you’re taught to do. If it flicks off something, throw your hands up and you’ll get the base. He definitely has a career in Hollywood, that’s for sure.”

The Cubs have won 10 of 11 and lead the majors with a 39-22 record, their best start since 1977 when they had an identical record. They began this recent surge with a three-game sweep of the Dodgers at Wrigley Field, and are 17-3 against NL West teams.

Bob Howry (2-2) was credited with the victory after pitching one inning. Kerry Wood, the fifth Cubs pitcher, escaped his own bases-loaded jam in the ninth by striking out Matt Kemp to record his 17th save in 21 chances and send the Dodgers to their 11th loss in 14 tries.