SENDAPI, Japan (Interstat) — The Orix Buffaloes visit the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Thursday evening at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi, looking to snap a three-game losing streak to their Pacific League rivals.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. under cloudy skies with a temperature of 78 degrees.

Orix (42-40-2) enters the game in third place in the Pacific League, while Rakuten (33-49-1) sits in last. The Golden Eagles have taken the first two games of the series, winning 3-2 on Wednesday and 3-1 on Tuesday. Rakuten also won three of four games when the clubs met in late June and holds a 7-2-1 advantage in the season series.

Right-hander Kenta Maeda is scheduled to start for Rakuten. Maeda has been outstanding in his last three outings, all victories. On Wednesday, he held Orix to two earned runs over seven innings with three strikeouts in a 3-2 win. He tossed 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball against Nippon-Ham on July 4 and pitched seven shutout innings against Seibu on June 25, allowing three hits.

For Orix, right-hander Raiku Katayama will take the mound. Katayama has struggled recently, losing his last four starts. On Wednesday, he allowed two earned runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings in the loss to Rakuten. He was roughed up for seven hits and four earned runs in three innings against Nippon-Ham on July 2, though he did throw 3 1/3 scoreless innings against SoftBank on June 24.

Orix is 5-5 in its last 10 games overall, while Rakuten is 4-6. The Buffaloes rely on a balanced lineup but have managed only three runs in the first two games of this series. The Golden Eagles’ offense has been led by center fielder Ryosuke Tatsumi, who went 4-for-4 with a home run and an RBI in Wednesday’s win.

Projections for the game are mixed. The Interstat game simulator forecasts a 4-3 victory for Rakuten, while the Interstat ELO system gives Orix a 53.3 percent probability of winning.

After Thursday’s game, Orix returns home to face Nippon-Ham on Saturday, while Rakuten hosts Seibu.