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TheMightyFavog

(13,770 posts)
Sun Mar 25, 2012, 08:24 PM Mar 2012

Aoki-sama hits his first MLB home run!

Those of you who speak Japanese, feel free to correct me if I'm using the incorrect ending to his name...

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120325&content_id=27599206&vkey=news_mil&c_id=mil

PHOENIX -- Japanese import Norichika Aoki hit his first stateside home run -- off the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, no less -- and a Brewers split squad scored a 7-1 win over the Dodgers on Sunday at Maryvale Baseball Park.

With two outs, Aoki connected on a full-count pitch from Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who limited left-handed hitters to a .178 average last season and all opponents to a .163 average in his first three spring starts. The homer sailed over the right-center-field fence to snap a scoreless tie in the third inning.

It extended a hot streak for Aoki, who was 2-for-2 plus a sacrifice bunt and has 10 hits in his last 16 at-bats after starting the spring 5-for-32 (.156). He is now hitting .313 in the Cactus Leauge. The Brewers brought the three-time Japanese batting champion to the U.S. in January with a two-year deal.


(snip)

Asked whether someone retrieved his baseball, Aoki said, "It's better for the fans to let them keep it."

Arigato Gozaimusu, Aoki-sama! Faito!!!!

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