PHILADELPHIA - Despite striking out in his only at-bat, Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami said he "couldn't be happier" about his first appearance in Major League Baseball's All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Murakami led off the ninth for the American League and struck out swinging at a 1-2 fastball from San Diego Padres right-hander Mason Miller, who threw four pitches exceeding 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour) at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
"I was thrilled to face such a tremendous pitcher for the first time on a stage like this, and I truly enjoyed the experience," Murakami told reporters following the AL's 4-0 win over the National League.
Asked what was on his mind before stepping to the plate, the 26-year-old rookie said, "I wasn't really thinking about anything, and I didn't even hear (the crowd)."
Murakami, who returned to MLB action Friday after being out with a hamstring strain since late May, entered the game as a defensive replacement at first base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
A former Triple Crown winner in Japan, Murakami hit nine long balls in the first round of Monday's Home Run Derby but failed to advance to the semifinals.
Among other Japanese players, overall top vote-getter and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani sat out the All-Star Game to treat lingering left knee irritation.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was also selected for the NL, opted not to pitch due to the timing of his next scheduled start.
