CHIBA — After a month on the road, the Chiba Lotte Marines finally returned home. The way the Marines played suggests that they're not planning on leaving again.
Shunsuke Watanabe threw a complete game and Ikuhiro Kiyota broke things open with a three-run triple in the fourth inning to help the Marines beat the Chunichi Dragons 7-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the Japan Series on Tuesday at Chiba Marine Stadium.
"Good win at home after a long absence," Marines manager Norifumi Nishimura said. "It's been more than a month since we played here, so it feels great to return home with a victory."