CHICAGO - Munetaka Murakami became the first Japanese player to hit 30 home runs in his debut MLB season Saturday as the Chicago White Sox lost 6-4 against the Minnesota Twins.
A two-run shot in the first inning at Rate Field saw the former Yakult Swallows slugger join Hideki Matsui, Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki in getting 30 homers in an MLB season.
Murakami hit a 2-2 outside splitter from Taj Bradley (11-6) to left with one on and one out to give the White Sox the lead before Colson Montgomery's solo shot made it a 3-0 game in the opening frame.
Anthony Kay (9-8) gave up five runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batsman over 4-1/3 innings, however, as the Twins came from behind.
"I'm genuinely happy," Murakami said of his feat. "(But) it's just a stop along the way for me, I'm only 26 and I think I need to play baseball setting my target so much higher."
Yusei Kikuchi earned his first win of the season, meanwhile, as the Los Angeles Angels left-hander threw six shutout innings in their 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Kikuchi (1-5) held the Pirates to five hits, including two doubles, and walked three while striking out six in an 89-pitch effort for his second straight quality start.
"There was a period when I doubted whether I could come back," said Kikuchi, who returned in late August after nearly four months out following left shoulder inflammation. "I'm really relieved to get a win and see my velocity return. It proves I had a good rehab."
Kazuma Okamoto had four hits in a game for the first time in the majors as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Kansas City Royals 4-3.
The rookie had a double in the first, an RBI double in the third and a single in the sixth before singling in his second run in the seventh, the crucial last run of the game, in a 4-for-5 outing as the Blue Jays won their fourth straight.
