Andy Sheets and Makoto Imaoka both homered and Chris Oxspring pitched 5-1/3 strong innings as the Hanshin Tigers defeated the Lotte Marines 7-2 on the opening day of interleague play on Tuesday.
 |
| Hanshin's Norihiro Akahoshi steals second base in the first inning of Tuesday night's 7-2 interleague win over the Chiba Lotte Marines at Koshien Stadium. |
In the rematch of the Japan Series, the defending Central League champions banged out 12 hits to just six for Lotte after the Tigers were swept in four games by Bobby Valentine's team in the seven-game series last October.
Sheets had an RBI sacrifice fly to right in the first inning and took Kevin Beirne (2-3) deep over the center-field wall in the third at Koshien Stadium. Imaoka made it 3-0 with his solo blast in the fourth. Oxspring (2-0) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts and one walk for the win.