In his first Major League Baseball at-bat - a pinch-hit plate appearance against the Detroit Tigers' Jose Cisnero in the bottom of the sixth inning - Cincinnati Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama recorded his first big-league hit and RBI.
Reactions:
The Enquirer's John Fay wrote about how Reds manager David Bell wasn't popular in Japan after leaving Akiyama out of the Reds' starting lineup for the season opener.
Bobby Nightengale wrote about how Akiyama joined the Reds in grand fashion in January when he signed a three-year, $21 million contract to become the Reds’ first Japanese player.