Lotte 1, at Orix 3

OSAKA, Japan (Interstat) — In a tightly contested pitchers’ duel that finally broke open late, the Orix Buffaloes edged the Chiba Lotte Marines 3-1 on Tuesday night at Osaka Dome, using timely hitting and a lockdown bullpen to secure the series opener. A crowd of 22,646 watched as both starting pitchers set a tone of efficiency and missed opportunities through the early innings. For Lotte, Yuto Kimura delivered a sterling performance, bouncing back emphatically from a rough outing six days prior. The right-hander allowed just one earned run on four hits over six strong innings, striking out three. His only… Read more...