SENDAI, Japan (Interstat) — The Orix Buffaloes look to continue their recent dominance over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles when the Pacific League rivals meet Sunday evening at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. under a forecast of 70-degree temperatures and rain.

The Buffaloes (73-66-3) have won five of their last six games against the Golden Eagles (68-73-3), including a three-game sweep from Sept. 27-29 in which Orix outscored Rakuten 16-5. Orix holds a 10-5 advantage in the season series.

Orix arrives after a 10-2 loss to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Friday, where shortstop Kotaro Kurebayashi provided a bright spot with a home run. The Buffaloes had won four of their previous five before the defeat.

Rakuten enters on a high note after a 3-2 victory over the Saitama Seibu Lions on Saturday. Pitcher Haruto Sakai earned the win with a strong five-inning start, allowing one run.

Despite Rakuten’s recent win, statistical models favor the visiting Buffaloes. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-3 Orix victory, while its ELO system gives the Buffaloes a 52% probability to win.