Azuma Solid Over 7 Innings as the BayStars Blank the Dragons in Season Opener

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Katsuki Azuma went seven scoreless innings on Friday, March 28 as the defending Japan Series champion Yokohama DeNA BayStars opened the 2025 NPB regular season with a 5-0 win over the Chunichi Dragons.

Azuma, who was 13-4 last season, struck out five and held the Chunichi batters to four hits on 93 pitches over seven innings before a crowd of 33,840 at Yokohama Stadium.

The 29-year-old lefty was injured late last season but returned to pick up the decision in a 4-1 win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Game 3 of the Japan Series.

NPB — *BayStars starter Katsuki Azuma (©SANKEI)*

"Azuma pitched a great game and we got some timely hits from our batters," Yokohama manager Daisuke Miura said. "It was a great way to open the season."

Hiroto Takahashi started for the Dragons and gave up five runs on eight hits over five innings to take the loss.

Tyler Austin gave the BayStars a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a double to the wall in right field that allowed Shugo Maki to score from second.

"Their pitcher has always been tough on me so I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit," Austin said. "When you get pitching like we had tonight, it makes it easier to win."

BayStars Extend the Lead

Keito Mori doubled the advantage with a bloop single to left in the second inning, scoring Toshiro Miyazaki from third and the hosts made it 3-0 in the fifth on a Kouki Kajiwara single to center.