OSAKA, Japan (Interstat) — Anderson Espinoza delivered six dominant innings and the Orix Buffaloes manufactured just enough offense to secure a 3-1 victory over the Saitama Seibu Lions on Wednesday night at Osaka Dome, sweeping the two-game series and extending their recent mastery over their Pacific League rivals.

A crowd of 22,447 watched as Espinoza, the Orix right-hander, overpowered the Lions’ lineup, striking out eight while scattering four hits and walking none over six scoreless frames. His command set the tone, allowing the Buffaloes to methodically build a lead that their bullpen would narrowly protect.

The Buffaloes (9-7) struck first in the opening inning. Haruto Watanabe, who finished the night 3 for 4, singled to left with one out. Ryoma Nishikawa followed with another single to center, putting runners at the corners. While a double play grounder from Bob Seymour ended the threat of a big inning, it allowed Watanabe to cross the plate, giving Orix a 1-0 lead.

That slim margin held until the fifth, when the Buffaloes doubled their advantage. With two outs and Masahiro Nishino on first after a single, Ryoto Kita drove a triple to right field, easily scoring Nishino to make it 2-0.

Orix added a critical insurance run in the sixth. Watanabe again was the catalyst, singling and then stealing second base. Nishikawa then delivered his second key hit, a double down the left-field line that brought Watanabe home for a 3-0 lead.

For six innings, Lions starter Kona Takahashi matched Espinoza in keeping the game a tight pitchers’ duel. Takahashi worked seven complete innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out five. His lone mistakes proved costly, as the trio of two-out, run-scoring hits by Kita and Nishikawa provided the difference.

The Lions (6-10-1), who have now lost four of their last five games, finally broke through in the seventh inning against Orix reliever Luis Perdomo. With two outs, second baseman Taiyo Sato launched a solo home run to right field, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Masayuki Kuwahara followed with a single, bringing the potential tying run to the plate, but Sosuke Genda grounded out to the pitcher to end the rally.

That home run represented the most important sequence of the game, as it shifted momentum and forced Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima to navigate his bullpen carefully to secure the final six outs. The Buffaloes’ relief corps, however, proved equal to the task.

Soichiro Yamazaki worked a perfect eighth inning, setting the stage for closer Ren Mukunoki in the ninth. The Lions mounted a final threat when Yuta Nakami led off with a walk. Alexander Canario then hit a sharp grounder to shortstop, where Orix turned a crucial 6-4-3 double play, effectively extinguishing the comeback. Mukunoki then induced a game-ending flyout from Taiga Hirasawa to seal the victory and earn his first save of the season.

Espinoza earned the win, improving to 3-0. His performance continued a strong start to the season and provided stability for an Orix team that had struggled on a recent road trip. Takahashi was saddled with the loss for Seibu, falling to 1-2.

The victory marked Orix’s third consecutive win over Seibu after taking the final two games of their previous series in Saitama earlier this month. The Buffaloes have now won five of the last six meetings between the clubs dating back to the end of the 2025 season.

The game defied the pregame projections from Interstat, which had forecast a higher-scoring affair with a final score of 5-3 in favor of Orix. The simulator gave the Buffaloes a 61.2 percent probability to win, and while the result was correct, the combined four total runs fell well under the over/under line of 5.5, emphasizing the night’s pitching-centric narrative.

Both teams will have a quick turnaround for the finale of their three-game series on Thursday. The Lions will look to avoid the sweep before embarking on a road trip to Hokkaido to face the Nippon Ham Fighters. The Buffaloes, after Thursday’s contest, will head to Fukuoka for a three-game set against the SoftBank Hawks, aiming to carry their winning momentum on the road.