Yudai Yamamoto of the DeNA BayStars hits a two-RBI single during the fourth inning of a Central League baseball game against the Chunichi Dragons at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on May 5, 2025. (Kyodo)
NAGOYA (Kyodo) — Catcher Yudai Yamamoto hit a two-RBI single and Anthony Kay pitched eight innings of one-run ball to give the DeNA BayStars a 2-1 win against the Chunichi Dragons in Central League baseball on Monday.
The Dragons were first on the board at Vantelin Dome Nagoya thanks to Takuya Kinoshita’s leadoff home run off American left-hander Kay (3-1) in the bottom of the third.
The Japan Series champion BayStars loaded up with one out in the fourth before Yamamoto hit a line drive to left field off highly touted 22-year-old rookie Yumeto Kanemaru, who struck out eight in an impressive Nippon Professional Baseball debut.
Kay struck out five and limited the Dragons to three hits and three walks, with their only run coming on Kinoshita’s second bomb of the season.
“I threw a bad pitch and he it out,” Kay said. “Thankfully the offense was able to pick me up and score a couple of runs.”
Kanemaru (0-1) was removed after six innings in which he surrendered five hits and two walks.