Shinnosuke Abe made his belated season debut in style, hitting a go-ahead two-run home run in the Yomiuri Giants' 3-2 win against the Orix Buffaloes as interleague action got underway Tuesday.
With a runner on first and two outs in the sixth inning at Kyocera Dome, Abe drove the third pitch he saw from Yuki Nishi (2-7) into the right-field stands for his first hit of 2016, putting the Giants up 3-2 — and for good.
Abe missed Yomiuri's first 50 games due to a right shoulder injury he suffered in spring training. It is the latest start to a season for the 38-year-old former captain.