Masahiro Tanaka had a kind of happy homecoming when he helped celebrate the Nippon Ham Fighters’ new stadium on Thursday, when NPB opened its season with just one game. Nippon Professional Baseball’s other 10 teams will open their seasons Friday.
Eagles 3, Fighters 1, at Kitahiroshima Taxpayers’ Burden Park: Tanaka, who became a celebrity high school pitching ace nearby, retired the first 13 batters he faced before allowing one run on two hits, two walks and a hit batsman to win the first game played at the new stadium in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, which borders the Fighters’ former home of Sapporo, where they were less-than-satisfied tenants at Sapporo Dome from 2004 to 2022.
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