Seiya Suzuki gets first MLB hit as Cubs win on opening day

Chicago – Seiya Suzuki went 1-for-2 and drew two walks on his majors debut Thursday as the Chicago Cubs outfielder helped his new team edge the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on MLB’s opening day.

Welcomed by a huge cheer from the home crowd at Wrigley Field, the 27-year-old former Hiroshima Carp slugger got his first hit in the big leagues off last year’s National League Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The hit sparked a three-run fifth inning that turned the game.

The biggest name coming out of Japan in the offseason, Suzuki batted at least .300 and had 25-plus home runs in six straight seasons. He drew a walk at his first at-bat in the second inning and again in the sixth before striking out looking in the eighth.

“It was really fun. I could play relaxed,” said Suzuki. “I was always focused on getting on base. I think it went well but the season is long, so I’ll have to keep it up.”

Batting sixth and playing right field, Suzuki said he had “never seen one (like that)” and was “amazed” by a breaking pitch thrown by right-hander Burnes in his first at-bat.

But Suzuki adjusted quickly in his next trip to the plate and led the fifth inning by singling to left on a 0-1 slider. Suzuki tied the game at 1-1 on a Patrick Wisdom sacrifice fly before Nico Hoerner went deep for a 3-1 lead.

“I went into the box excited. Things went well today,” Suzuki said. “I came over here wanting to face pitchers like him.”

Ian Happ’s two-run double in the seventh broke a 3-3 tie as the Cubs held on for the win.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo batted cleanup and went 2-for-3 as he also began the season on a positive note, although he was unable to prevent his Orlando Pirates from getting trounced 9-0 by the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I wouldn’t say my feel for my batting is super good, but it has come along fine,” Tsutsugo said after playing the first game of the season in front of 46,256 people at Busch Stadium. The last two Opening Days had no fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tsutsugo singled in the fourth off Adam Wainwright (1-0), who won 17 games last year, before getting an opposite-field single to left in the seventh off reliever Nick Wittgren.

“I had a different offseason from before and the biggest thing was getting that sense that I’ve changed hugely both mentally and physically,” he said.

Source : Baseball – The Japan Times