TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — Chihiro Kaneko couldn't believe he was going to start the Orix Buffaloes' first game of the season. On Thursday, he made believers out of the Seibu Lions.
Kaneko struck out 10 and Greg LaRocca drove in the game-winning run to lead the Buffaloes to a 2-1 victory over the Lions in front of an Opening Day crowd of 27,137 at Seibu Dome.
"I heard on the 18th I would be the Opening Day starter," Kaneko said, "but I really didn't believe it until I saw my name in the newspaper."