Seiya Suzuki got the cheers, but the Hanshin Tigers got the win.
Suzuki was showered with applause in his return to Japan as a member of the Chicago Cubs, while Hanshin’s Koji Chikamoto, Ukyo Maegawa and Teruaki Sato drove in runs in a 3-0 win at Tokyo Dome on Saturday afternoon.
Twenty-year-old Tigers pitcher Keito Mombetsu — who has seven career NPB appearances, including three starts — struck out two batters in five perfect innings. Mombetsu, Hanshin’s second-round draft pick in 2022, has had a productive spring for the Japanese team, with nine scoreless innings across three appearances against NPB clubs.
