A 12-match unbeaten streak puts Marinos in contention for the title, moving the club within four points of reigning champion Kawasaki Frontale.
Several Hanshin players are having productive seasons at the plate to help carry the team to the top.
In these turbulent times, nothing seems certain. But a sense of normalcy returned to Nippon Professional Baseball and this baseball-crazed nation on Friday, aka Opening Day....