After canceling their Thursday game against the Hanshin Tigers, the DeNA BayStars postponed their weekend series at Yokohama Stadium due to a rash of coronavirus infections.

After nine cancellations in 2021, NPB has now hit six in two weeks. I want to say the pandemic is getting easier, but obviously it isn’t. So please stay safe out there.

Friday night which is typically ace night in NPB, really only saw one pitchers’ duel. Ready for the action? Let’s get started.

Marines 5, Buffaloes 0: At Chiba Marine Stadium, Ayumu Ishikawa (2-0) allowed four hits and a walk over eight innings to outlast Orix’s Taisuke Yamaoka.

Leonys Martin, dropped from his natural habitat closer to the top of the order to the sixth spot, was hit by a pitch, doubled and broke a scoreless seventh-inning tie with a two-run home run, his first of the season, off Yamaoka (1-1).