AP Sports Preview

SAPPORO, Japan (Interstat) — The Saitama Seibu Lions visit the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters on Saturday evening at Sapporo Dome, seeking a second straight win against their Pacific League rivals.

Seibu (23-17-1) enters the 6 p.m. contest after a 3-0 victory Friday night. The Lions hold a one-game lead atop the standings. Nippon-Ham (20-22) sits in fourth place following the defeat.

Right-hander Kaima Taira is scheduled to start for Seibu. Taira earned the win Friday, pitching seven scoreless innings with two hits allowed and six strikeouts. In three of his past four starts, Taira has thrown at least six innings while allowing two earned runs or fewer, including seven scoreless innings against Rakuten on April 26. His lone poor outing came May 3 against Lotte, when he allowed two earned runs in one inning of relief.

The Fighters counter with right-hander Kota Tatsu. Tatsu took the loss Friday, allowing three earned runs on six hits over seven innings with six strikeouts. He has lost three straight decisions, with his last victory coming April 21 against Rakuten.

The series has been competitive this season. Seibu leads the season series 4-3 after Friday’s win. The Lions scored 15 runs in a victory April 19, but the Fighters have won three of the past five meetings, including an 11-inning decision April 30.

Seibu’s offense has been productive, scoring at least three runs in nine of its past 10 games. The Lions’ pitching staff has been stingy, allowing two runs or fewer in seven of those contests.

Nippon-Ham’s bats have struggled recently, scoring three runs or fewer in five of their past seven games.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-5 Seibu victory, while the ELO system gives the Fighters a 59.90 percent probability to win.

Following Saturday’s game, the teams meet again Sunday in the series finale. Seibu then hosts Chiba Lotte for a two-game set starting Tuesday. Nippon-Ham returns home to face Tohoku Rakuten on Tuesday.