The Yomiuri Giants take on the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in a Central League clash on May 13, 2026, at Fukui. First pitch is set for 18:00 JST. 
Carp right-hander Shogo Tamura gets a special homecoming start. A Fukui Prefecture native, Tamura made headlines at Nyu High School by setting a strikeout record in the summer tournament. In his last outing against the Giants on April 30, he allowed just one run over five innings, and tonight he looks to deliver another strong performance in front of friends and family. 
Tamura boasts a 1.80 ERA in his only start this season—against the Giants—and holds a 1.80 ERA in one career start versus Yomiuri.
Opposing him is Giants righty Kodai Norimoto. The veteran has struggled this season with a 3.52 ERA across four starts (0-2 record). Against Hiroshima, he owns a 10.80 ERA in one appearance (0-1). His recent outings have been inconsistent: he gave up six runs on 12 hits over five innings on April 28 against the Carp, and four runs in seven innings versus Chunichi on April 2. 
The Giants’ offense will lean on outfielder Hirayama, who is swinging a hot bat. He has gone 6-for-12 in his last three games, including a multi-hit effort yesterday. Against Tamura, Hirayama is 2-for-3 in their previous meetings, making him a key threat in this matchup.
The season series is evenly split at 3-3. Hiroshima enters with a 12-20 record (5th place in CL), while the Giants sit at 19-18 (4th). Both teams will aim to gain ground in the tight standings.
