TOKYO (Interstat) — The Yomiuri Giants look to continue their dominance over the Yokohama BayStars when the Central League rivals open a crucial three-game series Friday evening at Tokyo Dome.

Yomiuri (50-40-2) enters the 6 p.m. matchup holding a 10-game lead over the last-place BayStars (39-50-3) in the standings. The Giants have won eight of the past 10 meetings between the clubs, including four of five at Yokohama earlier this month.

The Giants took two of three from the BayStars on July 10-12, outscoring them 15-10. Yomiuri’s 4-3 victory on July 12 was decided in the final innings, continuing a pattern of tight contests. Seven of the past 10 games have been decided by two runs or fewer.

Left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara is a key figure for Yomiuri. In his most recent outing July 26 at Hanshin, he allowed one run on eight hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts but took a 1-0 loss. Two starts earlier, on July 19 against Chunichi, Ogasawara threw six shutout innings with six strikeouts in a 6-1 victory.

For Yokohama, right-hander Shuto Ogata will be a player to watch. Ogata has been sharp recently, allowing one earned run in each of his past two starts. On July 26 at Chunichi, he went six innings, surrendering two hits and one earned run with nine strikeouts but took a 5-1 loss. On July 17 against Yakult, he allowed two earned runs over six innings with seven strikeouts in a 12-4 win. Ogata faced the Giants on July 10 and struggled, giving up four earned runs on five hits over three innings, though Yokohama won 11-6.

Both teams enter on losing notes. Yokohama dropped its series finale Sunday at Chunichi 5-1, managing just five hits. Third baseman Toshiro Miyazaki went 2-for-3 with a solo home run. The BayStars have lost four of five.

Yomiuri was shut out Sunday at Hanshin 1-0, managing only four hits. Shortstop Yuta Izuguchi went 2-for-4. The Giants had won three straight before the loss.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-4 Yomiuri victory, with the Giants holding a 55.3 percent win probability according to the ELO system.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday at Tokyo Dome before both clubs embark on extended homestands.