The Yomiuri Giants began the first night of the Central League season with a celebration and they weren't about to let the Tokyo Yakult Swallows spoil their fun.
Starter Tetsuya Utsumi was in total control on the mound, Shinnosuke Abe drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, and Yoshinobu Takahashi made a triumphant return as the Giants won 4-1 in front of a crowd of 44,315 on Opening Day at Tokyo Dome.
Utsumi started the game on fire, slicing through the Yakult lineup early and not allowing a hit until Hiroyasu Tanaka's leadoff single in the fourth. He struck out 10 and allowed one run on four hits to pick up the win for the defending Japan Series champions.