Rakuten 6, at Seibu 3

TOKOROZAWA, Japan (Interstat) — A dormant offense erupted in a decisive fourth inning Friday night as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles defeated the Saitama Seibu Lions 6-3 at Seibu Dome, defying pregame projections and steadying their early season course. The game, played before a crowd of 20,103, was a pitcher’s duel through three innings before transforming into a sudden slugfest in the fourth. Rakuten’s five-run outburst, highlighted by a three-run homer from Fumiya Kurokawa, provided all the necessary cushion for starter Kosei Shoji and the bullpen to secure the victory. The win improved Rakuten’s record to 3-4 across all competitions,… Read more...