Read the full story on SportsLook – Azuma Solid Over 7 Innings as the BayStars Blank the Dragons in Season Opener
Katsuki Azuma went seven scoreless innings on Friday, March 28 as the defending Japan Series champion Yokohama DeNA BayStars opened the 2025 NPB regular season with a 5-0 win over the Chunichi Dragons.
Azuma, who was 13-4 last season, struck out five and held the Chunichi batters to four hits on 93 pitches over seven innings before a crowd of 33,840 at Yokohama Stadium.
The 29-year-old lefty was injured late last season but returned to pick up the decision in a 4-1 win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Game 3 of the Japan Series.
BayStars starter Katsuki Azuma (©SANKEI)
“Azuma pitched a great game and we got some timely hits from our batters,” Yokohama manager Daisuke Miura said. “It was a great way to open the season.”
Hiroto Takahashi started for the Dragons and gave up five runs on eight hits over five innings to take the loss.
The BayStars’ Tyler Austin drives in the team’s first run of the 2025 season in the first inning on March 28. (©SANKEI)
Tyler Austin gave the BayStars a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a double to the wall in right field that allowed Shugo Maki to score from second.
“Their pitcher has always been tough on me so I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit,” Austin said. “When you get pitching like we had tonight, it makes it easier to win.”
The BayStars’ Keito Mori hits a run-scoring single in the second inning. (©SANKEI)
BayStars Extend the Lead
Keito Mori doubled the advantage with a bloop single to left in the second inning, scoring Toshiro Miyazaki from third and the hosts made it 3-0 in the fifth on a Kouki Kajiwara single to center.
Keito Mori scores a run in the fifth inning as the BayStars extend their lead to 3-0 against the Dragons. Dragons catcher Takuya Kinoshita is also pictured. (©SANKEI)
The BayStars widened the lead to 5-0 in the sixth inning on a double by Miyazaki and a sac fly by Yuudai Yamamoto.
Yasuaki Yamasaki worked a scoreless eighth and Taisei Irie retired the side in the ninth on three straight strikeouts after walking the first batter.
Irie was returning to action after missing the entire 2024 season due to surgery on his right shoulder.
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Author: Jim Armstrong
The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.
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