Baseball: Suzuki hits 26th homer for 80th RBI as Cubs beat Red Sox
Suzuki made his first trip to the plate after Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito (6-2) walked the first two batters. The Japanese outfielder then proceeded to swat the right-hander's first-pitch four-seamer to center at Wrigley Field to open his team's scoring.
"I saw a good pitcher struggling at the start of the game and wondered if he would come trying to hit the zone," Suzuki said. "I followed my senses and instinct."
This season, Suzuki, who also had a single in the third to go 2-for-4, has already amassed the most home runs and RBIs of his four-year Major League Baseball career.
"I wasn't thinking I'd be able to get so many RBIs and home runs," he said. "I'm a bit surprised, to be honest, but I want to keep them going."
Masataka Yoshida struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth for the Red Sox as their 10-game winning run was snapped.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
10 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Diving: Japan claims first mixed team world championship medal
SINGAPORE (Kyodo) -- Japan's mixed team diving squad exceeded its own expectations by reaching the world championship podium for the first time in the event with a bronze medal-winning performance in Singapore on Saturday. The Japanese team of Rin Kaneto, Sayaka Mikami, Reo Nishida and Sho Sakai edged the United States for bronze, as powerhouse China ran away with the gold medal and Mexico claimed silver. "We were thinking it would be a good result if we got into the top eight," the 22-year-old Kaneto said. Sitting seventh after the springboard section, Japan surged in the second half of the competition thanks to Kaneto and Nishida's strong performance in the platform segments. Kaneto said she hoped to carry her momentum from the mixed team event into her individual preliminaries on Wednesday. "I'll do my best and aim for another medal," she said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
10 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese Ex-Pro Baseball Pitcher Yuki Saito Building Ballpark for Kids in Hokkaido
NAGANUMA, Hokkaido (Jiji Press) — Yuki Saito, a former pitcher for the Japanese professional baseball team Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, is spearheading the construction of a new field dedicated to boys and girls in the town of Naganuma, Hokkaido. Saito, 37, envisions the new field as a venue that will inspire the next generation of professional players. It will offer a scenic view of ES CON Field Hokkaido, the home stadium of the Fighters. The field that Saito has helped to construct since August last year was unveiled to the media on May 5, coinciding with Children's Day. To mark the occasion, local baseball teams were invited to play a commemorative game. Saito took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch, facing Hideki Kuriyama, the chief baseball officer of the Fighters, who stepped in as the hitter. Kuriyama, who managed the Fighters for most of Saito's career, is also renowned for nurturing Shohei Ohtani, now a two-way superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, during his tenure with the Fighters. 'I'm incredibly happy to see the children enjoying themselves so brightly and energetically,' Saito said. 'I think the main point is that he wants to create something tangible that children need,' Kuriyama said. 'There's nothing more important than that. In fact, I might be the one who's even more moved by this.' Saito conducted an extensive search for the ideal ballpark location, focusing primarily on the Kanto region in eastern Japan. He visited more than 50 potential sites, including existing ballparks, mountainous areas and open fields. Ultimately, the flat terrain of Naganuma proved to be the deciding factor. The site's history as a baseball field, used up until 20 years ago, also meant that the soil was well-suited for the purpose. It is located near Kuri no Ki Farm, the little league field managed by Kuriyama, and ES CON Field Hokkaido. 'I happened to come across this plot of land by chance. I feel there's something destined about it,' Saito said. The ballpark, named Harappa Stadium, features foul lines measuring 70 meters and a center field stretching 85 meters. The name 'Harappa' means 'field' or 'grassland' in Japanese, reflecting the stadium's open, welcoming atmosphere. One of Saito's top priorities was the installation of a 1-meter-high outfield fence. Little league stadiums in Japan typically lack fences, so any ball hit past the outfielders can result in a home run. 'I hope Japanese children will experience the thrill of hitting home runs over the fence. I want them to play baseball freely and in a relaxed way,' he said. After the commemorative game on May 5, he joined the children in painting the wooden fence together. Saito started the project by personally cutting weeds and, with the help of local residents, preparing the site for games. His vision is to complete the ballpark by laying natural grass on both the infield and outfield, while planting trees around the perimeter. Looking ahead, Saito also dreams of building a lodging facility nearby. 'The experience of playing baseball in such a ballpark will be unforgettable [for young players],' Saito said. He hopes to transform the new field into an ideal ballpark for children. Saito rose to prominence as a star pitcher at high school and university. As the ace of Waseda Jitsugyo high school in Tokyo, he led his team to championship glory at the 2006 national high school tournament at the Koshien Stadium. The final game became legendary for Saito's epic pitching duel against Masahiro Tanaka of Komadai Tomakomai high school from Hokkaido, who would later go on to throw in Major League Baseball. Saito earned the affectionate nickname 'Handkerchief Prince' for his habit of using a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat on the pitcher's mound during the sweltering August heat, a distinctive gesture that set him apart from other players, who typically used their uniform sleeves.
Japan Today
11 hours ago
- Japan Today
Top Japanese athletes inspire diversified youth sports programs
Former Japan men's football defender Atsuto Uchida (back, C) serves as an instructor during a multisport event at Tokyo's National Stadium on June 21, 2025. Some of Japan's most successful athletes are inspiring a push for children to broaden their horizons and experience a range of sports, rather than specializing in one from an early age. While Japanese youth sports have traditionally pushed youngsters toward a single pursuit, Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani and women's Olympic speed skating gold medalist Miho Takagi are among the top-level athletes who played multiple sports at youth level. Ohtani dabbled in badminton, a sport his mother played at national level, while Takagi was known for her football talent before focusing on the rink. Olympic women's javelin gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi, meanwhile, competed at national level both in swimming and badminton before taking up her current sport in high school. Since her Summer Games triumph in Paris last year, she has even tested herself in new fields in judo and artistic gymnastics. "I'm looking for things I can make use of in javelin by doing many sports," the 27-year-old said. "Combining a little stimulus from various sports produces a positive impact." A multisport event held in late June at Tokyo's National Stadium involved some 400 children in their first to third year at elementary school, who enjoyed 30 minutes each of football, baseball, rugby and athletics. "I've never tried rugby before, but I found it fun," a third-year boy said. Instructors included Atsuto Uchida, a former Japan defender in men's football, while baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, whose 868 home runs is a record in Nippon Professional Baseball, also took part in the activities. "Widening these circles will help children feel they want to do more physical activities," said the 85-year-old Oh, who revealed he took part in table tennis and shot-put competitions when he was young. On top of enhancing the youngsters' physical abilities and coordination, it is also hoped that the new movement will enlarge the overall sporting population amid the declining birthrate. The Japan Sport Council has outsourced a multisport support program to the University of Tsukuba, while NPB and J-League clubs have begun offering related classes and events in a breakthrough move in the country where inter-sports activities have been rare. "The time has come to change our fundamental view and set a diversified sense of values on sports, like abroad," said Takashi Oyama, a Tsukuba professor specializing in multisport activities. "Experiencing many things, and making one's own choices and decisions, should bring about a sense of satisfaction and happiness." © KYODO
