HIROSHIMA, Japan (Interstat) — A hot-starting Hanshin Tigers club looks to continue its strong opening week when it visits the Hiroshima Toyo Carp for a three-game Central League series opener Friday evening at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium.

The Tigers (4-2) arrive after taking two of three from the Yokohama BayStars, including a 4-3 win Thursday. Shortstop Seiya Kinami went 3 for 4 with two RBIs in that victory. A player to watch for Hanshin is pitcher Takato Ihara, who earned the win Thursday with five strong innings, allowing one run on one hit.

They face a Carp squad (3-2) coming off a tough 2-1 loss to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Thursday, despite a brilliant seven-inning, three-hit shutout start from Shun Okamoto. Okamoto is a key player to watch for Hiroshima after his scoreless outing.

Friday’s forecast calls for cloudy skies and a cool game-time temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius).

The series marks the first meeting between the clubs this season. Projections for the contest are split. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 4-3 Carp victory, while its ELO rating system gives the Tigers a 66.4% probability to win.

Hanshin’s early success has been fueled by timely hitting and solid pitching, having outscored opponents 24-17 over their first six games. Hiroshima has shown resilience, winning two extra-inning games already, but its offense has been inconsistent, scoring three or fewer runs in three of its five contests.

Following Friday’s game, the teams will meet again Saturday and Sunday in Hiroshima to complete the series.