Japan’s final interleague series got started Friday with the Central League-leading Yakult Swallows trying to lock up their first interleague championship in a three-game set against the Pacific League-leading SoftBank Hawks, starting with a heat vs finesse duel in the opener.

Friday was also Roki Eve, with young Mr. Sasaki’s start pushed back a day, ostensibly to give him more rest, although he’s been getting shoved off the front page for a while.

Let’s go.

Friday’s games

Swallows 3, Hawks 1: At Fukukuoka Dome, Yasuhiro Ogawa (4-3) attacked the strike zone relentlessly, and got hit hard early, but stuck with it to limit the Hawks to one run on nine hits and no walks over seven innings, while Munetaka Murakami and Tetsuto Yamada each homered for the CL leaders,