TOKYO (Interstat) — The Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Yomiuri Giants meet again Tuesday evening at Tokyo Dome, just one day after Yakult rolled to a 5-1 victory that featured a breakout performance from catcher Kyo Suzuki.

Yakult (19-13) enters with a one-game lead over Yomiuri (18-13) in the standings. Suzuki went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs in Monday’s win, continuing an uneven stretch (Interstat) — he is 5-for-27 over his last nine games but delivered when it mattered most. The Swallows have won three of their last four, including a 6-5 decision against Yokohama on Saturday, though they dropped 10-2 and 2-0 decisions to Hanshin earlier in the week.

Yomiuri (18-13) lost its second straight Monday, falling to Yakult for the sixth time in seven head-to-head meetings this season. The Giants had won three of four before that slide, including a 5-3 victory at Hanshin on Friday. Right-hander Kenshin Hotta, a player to watch for Yomiuri, pitched two scoreless innings of relief Monday, allowing no hits and striking out one. He also appeared as a pinch hitter but did not record an at-bat.

The Giants are projected with a 54.70 percent win probability by Interstat’s ELO system, yet the Swallows enter as pregame favorites with a -1.5 run line. The over/under is set at 6.5 runs. Interstat’s simulator forecasts a 5-4 Yakult victory.

Both teams are in the midst of a busy stretch. The Swallows continue their road trip with another game at Yomiuri on Wednesday before heading to Hiroshima for a three-game set starting Friday. The Giants host Yakult again Wednesday, then visit Chunichi for three games beginning Friday.

Yakult’s pitching has been solid recently: Jose Quijada tossed a scoreless inning Monday, and Yasunobu Okugawa allowed one earned run over six innings with five strikeouts in that win. Yomiuri’s bullpen also showed depth, with Elvis Luciano and Tatsuya Ishikawa each throwing a shutout inning Monday.

The rivalry has been one-sided in Yakult’s favor this season. The Swallows have won five of the seven matchups, outscoring the Giants 24-18. Tuesday’s game could go a long way in determining early-season positioning as both clubs vie for the top of the Central League standings.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Tokyo Dome.