CHIBA, Japan (Interstat) — The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters look to continue their recent dominance over the struggling Chiba Lotte Marines when the Pacific League rivals meet again Wednesday evening at Chiba Marine Stadium.

The Fighters (8-7) have won three of four matchups this season, including a 5-1 victory Tuesday behind a sterling eight-inning effort from starter Kota Tatsu. Nippon-Ham has outscored Lotte 23-6 in those three wins.

Tatsu is a key player to watch again, having allowed just one earned run over 8 innings against the Marines on Tuesday. Over his last three starts, however, he has a 5.40 ERA, showing some inconsistency.

He’ll be opposed by Lotte’s Andre Jackson, who took the loss Tuesday after giving up four earned runs in seven innings. Jackson has had extremes against the Fighters this year, tossing five shutout innings in a win on April 1 before Tuesday’s defeat.

The Marines (5-11) are mired in a difficult stretch, having lost eight of their last ten games. Their offense has been a particular concern, scoring three or fewer runs in seven of those contests.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-1 Nippon-Ham victory, mirroring Tuesday’s result, and gives the Fighters a 63.2% probability to win.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time under cloudy skies with a temperature near 66 degrees Fahrenheit.

Following Wednesday’s game, the teams conclude their series Thursday before both embark on extended stretches against other league opponents. The Fighters will host the Saitama Seibu Lions for three starting Friday, while the Marines travel to face the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.