Matsui Saves NY

Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui (29, New York Yankees) has become a hero of an international scale.

At Yankees Stadium in New York, Matsui became the first Japanese player to hit a home run in the World Series at the second game against the Florida Marlins on October 20.

Matsui swung away on a 3-0 count and sent Mark Redman`s fastball over the 408-feet sign in center field for a 3-0 lead.

55,000 Yankees fans cheered, and Matsui responded by taking a curtain call.

With Matsui’s three-run homer and Andy Pettitte’s fine pitching, the Yankees evened the World Series with a 6-1 victory over the Florida Marlins. The third game will be held in Miami on October 22.

During a 10-year career with the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui batted .307 with 332 homers. Last year, with 50 homers and 107 RBIs, he became the biggest star of Japanese baseball. He signed a $21 million, three-year contract with the Yankees after the end of his contract with the Yomiuri Giants and stepped into the Major Leagues.

Matsui became more of a line-drive type hitter, hitting .287 with 16 homers and 106 RBIs. His post-season performance was even better. At every critical moment for the Yankees during the American League Championship Series and World Series, Matsui came to the team’s rescue.

He went 3-for-4 in the opener against Florida, and his two-strike double off of Boston’s ace pitcher keyed an eighth-inning comeback in Game 7 of the American League Championship series.

He is batting .327 with 49 at-bats, 16 hits, and 10 RBIs in 13 postseason games. He used to go back and forth hitting sixth and seventh in the lineup, but now he is leading the way in the middle of the lineup.

Yankee’s coach Torre said, “During the game with Boston we were thirsty for a hit. Matsui saved us. His hot batting is empowering our pitcher too.”

jaeyuna@donga.com