Takahiro Norimoto pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles to a 6-1 victory over the Orix Buffaloes on Tuesday, winning his first start of the season.

Norimoto (1-0), who returned to the top-team mound for the first time in nearly nine months, struck out six of the 23 batters he faced at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi. He gave up three hits, walked one and hit a batter, as the Eagles claimed their first win in more than two weeks.

The right-hander underwent a cleanup procedure on his pitching elbow in March.