Preview: Dragons, Swallows Set for Rematch at Jingu

TOKYO (Interstat) — The Chunichi Dragons look to build on a dramatic victory and slow the Central League-leading Tokyo Yakult Swallows when the teams meet again Saturday evening at Meiji Jingu Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature of 61 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius).

The Dragons (2-5) snapped a five-game skid with a 1-0 win Friday night, thanks to a complete-game, three-hit shutout from Yuya Yanagi. The Swallows (5-1), whose five-game winning streak was halted, will seek an immediate response in the second game of the series.

A quick turnaround pits the same starting pitchers against each other after Yanagi and Yakult’s Kojiro Yoshimura dueled in the series opener.

Yanagi was dominant, needing just 98 pitches to go the distance while striking out six. The right-hander has been a bright spot for struggling Chunichi, allowing only one earned run over 15 innings in his two starts this season.

Yoshimura took the hard-luck loss Friday, yielding one run on six hits over five innings with six strikeouts. The left-hander has been solid, posting a 2.19 ERA across his two outings.

Despite their losing record, the Dragons have been installed as a slight pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The over/under for total runs is set at 7.0.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a different outcome, forecasting a 7-2 Swallows victory. Their ELO rating system gives Yakult a 58% probability to win.

The Swallows’ offense, which averaged 4.8 runs during their winning streak, was stifled by Yanagi. They will look to rebound against a Chunichi bullpen that may be taxed after Friday’s contest.

Chunichi’s lineup, which has mustered just 11 total runs in its seven games, faces the challenge of providing support for its pitching staff.

The series concludes Sunday at Jingu Stadium before both clubs embark on road trips.