Tomoyuki Sugano, coming off the worst season in his career, got his 2024 campaign off to a winning start Thursday, throwing seven innings in the Yomiuri Giants' 2-0 Central League victory over the Chunichi Dragons.
Sugano, who in 2018 won his second straight Sawamura Award as Japan's most impressive starting pitcher, allowed four hits and a walk while striking out three at Vantelin Dome Nagoya.
The right-hander, who struggled through a 4-8 2023 season in which he pitched just 77-2/3 innings, retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced this year. Sugano drew a third-inning leadoff walk and scored the first of Yomiuri's runs in the inning.
Giants closer Taisei Ota, who missed much of the 2023 season, struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for his first save of the year.
Among other games Thursday, the Hiroshima Carp overcame a late 3-0 deficit to beat the Yakult Swallows 6-3, while the Pacific League's SoftBank Hawks scored six first-inning runs, including two on a Kensuke Kondo home run, in an 8-1 pounding of the Lotte Marines.
