Makoto Imaoka hit a two-run double and lefty Minoru Iwata pitched three shutout innings on four-hit ball as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Orix Buffaloes 5-3 to kick off the Japanese baseball preseason on Saturday.
Imaoka ignited the offense with a bases-loaded double to right-center, driving home two runs with none out in a four-run fourth at Aki Municipal Stadium. Chihiro Kaneko struck out four and walked none in three scoreless innings for Orix.
Hanshin took a 5-0 lead through the fifth before Orix mounted a rally in the final three frames.
Also Saturday, at Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, rookie Ryuhei Matsuyama doubled in the opening run in the second inning and went 2-for-4 in his debut as the Hiroshima Carp defeated the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 4-1. Carp left-hander Takahiro Aoki, vying for a place in the starting rotation, allowed two hits with no walks while striking out two in three shutout innings. Toru Takahashi got roughed up for four runs in four innings and Nagisa Arakaki pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Softbank.