Yakult 2, at Yomiuri 3

TOKYO (Interstat) — In a tense, low-scoring affair that defied pregame projections, the Yomiuri Giants edged the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 3-2 on Friday night at a packed Tokyo Dome, leveraging timely hitting and a lockdown bullpen to secure a series-opening victory. A crowd of 41,793 watched as the Giants, despite being outhit 10-5, executed in critical moments to improve to 7-5 across all competitions. The Swallows, who entered as statistical favorites according to Interstat’s simulator but saw their eight-game hitting streak with runners in scoring position snapped, fell to 8-4. The game’s total of five runs sailed over the pregame… Read more...