Rakuten 4, at Orix 5

OSAKA, Japan (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth series finale defined by early offense and late-inning tension, the Orix Buffaloes edged the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Osaka Dome, securing the series victory in their opening set of the Nippon Professional Baseball season. A crowd of 34,537 watched as the two Pacific League rivals traded blows in a brisk first inning that set the tone for the entire three-hour, 17-minute contest. The Golden Eagles struck immediately against Orix starter Hiroya Miyagi. Leadoff hitter Naoki Sato ignited the rally by drilling a triple into the gap in right-center… Read more...