SAPPORO, Japan (Interstat) — The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, riding high in the Pacific League standings, will look to continue their recent success against the Saitama Seibu Lions when the teams meet again Monday evening at Sapporo Dome.

The Fighters (76-51-2) took two of three from the Lions (57-66-4) over the weekend, including a 4-3 victory on Sunday. Nippon-Ham has won five of the last seven head-to-head meetings this season.

Sunday’s win was anchored by a strong start from Ren Fukushima, who went seven innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out seven. Third baseman Yuya Gunji provided the key offensive blow with a two-run home run.

The Lions, despite the series loss, have shown recent fight. They won 7-3 on Friday and took the Fighters to 11 innings in a 5-4 loss on Saturday. In Sunday’s defeat, designated hitter Leandro Cedeno and center fielder Manaya Nishikawa each homered for Seibu.

The teams are deeply familiar with one another, having played 15 times already this season. The Fighters hold a narrow 8-7 edge in those contests.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a close 5-4 victory for the home side, with its ELO system giving Nippon-Ham a 67% probability to win. Despite this, Seibu has been installed as a slight pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The over/under for the contest is set at 7.0 runs.

The game is the last of a four-game set between the clubs before they meet again for a two-game series in Saitama next week. For the playoff-contending Fighters, every game is critical as they look to solidify their position, while the Lions will aim to play spoiler. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time.