Kenta Bright of the Chunichi Dragons hits a two-run double in the eighth inning of a game against the Hiroshima Carp at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on April 9, 2025. (Kyodo)
NAGOYA (Kyodo) — Kenta Bright hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning as the Chunichi Dragons beat the Hiroshima Carp 3-1 on Wednesday.
Bright, pinch-hitting for Yutaro Itayama, doubled to right-center off Taylor Hearn (0-1) at Vantelin Dome Nagoya.
Akiyoshi Katsuno (1-0) won in relief while Shinya Matsuyama got in and out of a ninth-inning jam for his fourth save.
Among the day’s other games, Masanori Ishikawa of the Yakult Swallows extended his Nippon Professional Baseball record of winning at least one game a season from his rookie year. Ishikawa (1-0) now has at least one victory in each of the last 24 years.
The 45-year-old left-hander allowed three runs, one earned, in five innings in his season debut as the Swallows rallied to beat the Hanshin Tigers 5-3.
Hotaka Yamakawa hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning as the SoftBank Hawks edged the Orix Buffaloes 10-9.