OSAKA, Japan (Interstat) — The Orix Buffaloes welcome the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to Osaka Dome on Friday evening, with the home team looking to extend its early-season dominance in the Pacific League.

Orix (13-9) enters the contest on a three-game winning streak, boasting one of the league’s most formidable pitching rotations. The Buffaloes’ ace, Ryuhei Sotani, is scheduled to take the mound. Sotani has been electric in his recent outings, highlighted by a dominant seven-inning performance Wednesday at Chiba Lotte, where he allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out nine in a 4-1 victory. In his previous start April 14 against Seibu, Sotani allowed one earned run over five innings in a 5-1 win. His command and strikeout ability will pose a significant challenge for the Fighters’ lineup.

Nippon-Ham (11-12) is coming off a narrow 3-2 loss to Tohoku Rakuten on Thursday. Right-hander Ren Fukushima will get the start for the Fighters. Fukushima struggled in that same game, allowing eight hits and three earned runs over 5 1/3 innings, striking out three. He will be seeking a bounce-back performance against a Buffaloes team that has historically given him trouble.

The last time these clubs met, Nippon-Ham swept a three-game series in Sapporo from April 3-5. The Fighters won 12-3, 6-3 and 8-2, battering Orix pitching for 26 combined runs. However, the Buffaloes have won four of their last five overall and now play at home, where their pitching has been sharper.

The bullpen has been a strength for Nippon-Ham lately. Relievers Koji Fukutani and Kenta Uehara combined for two scoreless innings Thursday, a trend manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo hopes continues.

Interstat’s simulation predicts a 6-4 victory for Orix, though the same agency’s ELO system gives Nippon-Ham a 50.9 percent probability of winning.

The game is the first of a three-game weekend set, followed by a home-and-home series beginning May 1 in Sapporo.