SENDAI, Japan (Interstat) — The Orix Buffaloes look to continue their strong early-season form when they visit the struggling Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Pacific League play Saturday evening at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a temperature around 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius).

The Buffaloes (7-5) enter with momentum, winning three straight and five of their last seven. They edged the Chiba Lotte Marines 2-1 in 10 innings on Thursday. Rakuten (4-8) has lost four of its last five, including a 4-2 defeat to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters on Thursday.

The series opener Friday ended in a 0-0 tie. This season series has been defined by blowouts, with Orix winning 6-0 on March 28 and Rakuten countering with a 10-0 victory on March 27. Orix took the series in late March two games to one.

A key matchup features Orix left-hander Hiroya Miyagi (2-1, 3.86 ERA) against Rakuten right-hander Jose Urena (1-1, 1.80 ERA). Miyagi is coming off a stellar outing, allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts in a win over Lotte on April 9. However, he was roughed up for eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings by these same Eagles on March 27.

Urena has been sharp, not allowing an earned run over his last 10 innings. He held Nippon-Ham to two hits over five scoreless frames on April 9 but took a hard-luck loss. He did not face Orix in their previous series.

According to Interstat, the Buffaloes are projected favorites with a 51.4% probability to win. The organization’s game simulator predicts a 6-3 Orix victory.

Following Saturday’s game, the teams conclude their series Sunday before both embark on road trips next week.