CLEVELAND (AP) — Munetaka Murakami really wanted to get the first run for the Chicago White Sox in a postseason game.
The Japanese power-hitter delivered that with a two-run homer as the White Sox defeated the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Saturday in an AL Division Series opener.
“That’s what playoff baseball is about, is your big dogs going out there and making big plays,” manager Will Venable said. “Mune is the guy in the middle of the lineup that’s been doing it all year for us. Long ball is part of our game specifically with Mune. Obviously a huge swing right there especially after we had just gotten out of a tough jam there. So really well timed homer. We needed it.”
The White Sox struck quickly after they prevented the Guardians from scoring with the bases loaded in the third inning.
Miguel Vargas lined a base hit leading off the fourth. One pitch later, Murakami drove an elevated sinker 440 feet into the right-field stands for his first postseason home run.
The 26-year old Murakami, among eight rookies on the White Sox postseason roster, paused for a couple seconds to bask in the towering shot, which the Japanese announcers called “priceless two-run blast,” before tossing his bat and turning to the dugout to celebrate with teammates.
“I can’t really explain it in words right now but it was something a little bit dirty," said Murakami through an interpreter when asked what he yelled to the dugout.
Murakami, who signed a $34 million, two-year deal in December as the White Sox incurred a $6,575,000 posting fee to the Yakult Swallows, had 35 homers and 75 RBIs during the regular season. But he was 1 of 8 during the Wild Card Series sweep of Houston.
He went 3 for 19 against Cleveland during the regular season, but one of those hits was a home run off Parker Messick. Murakami got some confidence during the second inning with a base hit to center.
“In the first at-bat, I had a very clean hit. So I was very comfortable going to that at-bat, and that was pretty much the approach, and I swung really clean,” Murakami said.
Messick said the pitch was on the inner half of the plate but he thought Murakami was sitting on it. Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges also thought it was a good pitch but a better swing by Murakami.
“He’s just a stud. He can hit a home run every pitch in every spot. So you got to keep him off balance as best you can," Hedges said. "Man, he’s fun to watch hit, just not when he’s playing against us.”
Chicago has won nine of 11 dating to the regular season. Murakami said the White Sox might be playing their best baseball now as they prepare for Game 2 on Monday.
“If you score one run, I have so much confidence that we can win the game, which is really good,” he said. “The first game in the series is essential, very important. And I’m just really happy that we pulled this off. It really defines the outcome to the series. So we’ll get the one-day rest tomorrow. We’ll come back rested, and then we’ll focus on winning.”
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