SAPPORO, Japan (Interstat) — Orix Buffaloes right-hander Ryuhei Sotani and Nippon-Ham Fighters lefty Takayuki Katoh are set for a rematch Saturday evening at Sapporo Dome, one night after the Fighters beat the Buffaloes 5-1.

Orix (17-11) holds the better overall record, but Nippon-Ham (14-16) has won five of the seven meetings between the teams this season, including three straight at home.

Sotani (2-0, 2.00 ERA in his last three starts) took the loss Friday despite a quality start: 6 innings, 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts. He also worked 7 innings of 2-hit, 1-run ball April 22 against Lotte and 5 innings of 5-hit, 1-run ball April 14 against Seibu.

Katoh (3-1 in his last four decisions) earned the win Friday, allowing 1 earned run on 7 hits over 5⅔ innings with 1 strikeout. He also beat Rakuten on April 22 (5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 K) and Rakuten on April 9 (5-plus IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 4 K). His only recent stumble came April 15 at Lotte, when he gave up 6 earned runs in 3⅔ innings of a 9-7 loss.

Nippon-Ham’s offense got a boost Friday from center fielder Rodolfo Castro, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs, and right fielder Chusei Mannami, who went 2-for-3 with a homer and 2 RBIs.

Orix’s bullpen held firm Friday (Interstat) — Hiroshi Suzuki tossed a scoreless inning and Kaito Iriyama a hitless frame (Interstat) — but the Buffaloes managed only one run.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-4 Orix victory, while its ELO system gives Nippon-Ham a 55.4% probability to win.

Orix enters with wins in four of its last six games, including a 5-4 home victory over SoftBank on April 29. Nippon-Ham has won three of its last four, including a 3-2, 11-inning victory at Seibu on April 30.

The game is the second of a three-game series. The teams meet again Sunday at Sapporo Dome before Orix returns home Monday to face Lotte and Nippon-Ham travels to Rakuten.