This matchup turns on what each club does with its early baserunners. Hanshin created traffic without converting it in the opener, while DeNA made a smaller number of hits count. The middle innings bring a second test as the starters hand the game to relief.
Takahashi's recent command has kept walks scarce, so DeNA need clean contact from hitters such as Miyazaki and Sano to build on their opener. Across from him, Ogata allowed three runs in five innings in his last start against Hanshin, and his recent work has been in relief. Hanshin's seven hits and three walks in the opener give its lineup a concrete route to turn traffic into runs against that starting assignment.
Sato left the opener before the final defensive inning and his playing status remains unsettled. Hanshin still reached scoring position against DeNA relief, whose four used arms all worked in that game. That puts the starter-to-bullpen handoff at the centre of the scoring story.
I expect Hanshin's stranded runners to become more valuable as Ogata gives way, with DeNA's Miyazaki and Sano providing a separate route to runs against Takahashi or the later arms. That is why I'm backing Hanshin and DeNA to produce more runs across the full game.
