YOKOHAMA, Japan (Interstat) — The Hiroshima Carp and Yokohama BayStars will conclude a three-game series under clear evening skies Sunday at Yokohama Stadium, with both Central League clubs seeking momentum after sluggish starts to the 2026 season.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time with a forecast temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius).

The series is tied after a scoreless tie Friday and a 4-3 Yokohama victory Saturday. The BayStars (4-8) snapped a three-game skid with that win, while the Carp (5-6) have lost four of their last five.

A key matchup features two pitchers in strong early-season form. Hiroshima will look to right-hander Shun Okamoto, who has been brilliant in limited work. He fired two scoreless innings of relief in Saturday’s loss and pitched seven shutout frames in a tough-luck 1-2 loss to Yakult on April 2. For the season, he has not allowed an earned run over nine innings.

He will be opposed by Yokohama’s veteran left-hander Katsuki Azuma, who earned the win Saturday after allowing one run over seven solid innings. In his last three starts, Azuma is 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA, striking out 18 batters in 20 innings.

Hiroshima’s offense, which managed only three hits Saturday outside of Shogo Sakakura’s two-run homer, will try to solve Azuma more effectively in the rematch. Yokohama’s bullpen, which got a perfect inning with three strikeouts from closer Sean Reynolds on Saturday, will aim to secure a series win.

Projections are split. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 4-2 Carp victory, while its ELO rating system gives the BayStars a 62.5% probability to win.

Following Sunday’s game, Hiroshima travels to face the Chunichi Dragons for a two-game set beginning Tuesday. Yokohama heads to Tokyo for a two-game series against the Yakult Swallows starting Tuesday. The two clubs will meet again for a three-game series in Hiroshima next weekend.