Matsui Makes Smashing Debut for Yankees

Hideki Matsui showed why the New York Yankees were so eager to sign him, hitting a home run in his second at-bat of spring training Thursday during a 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Tampa, Fla.

The Yankees’ new slugger trotted around the bases showing little emotion before slapping hands with Jason Giambi, on-deck batter Jorge Posada and the rest of his new teammates as he went back to the dugout.

“I was very happy I could play like this in my first game of the preseason,” Matsui said. “I think I was a little bit lucky to hit a home run today. It wasn’t the pitch the pitcher wanted to throw.”

The Yankees’ other big international acquisition didn’t fare as well. Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras gave up five runs, including a grand slam by Adam Dunn, in two innings.

“I wanted to leave a good impression and I didn’t,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “A lot of people were anxious to see me perform. I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do.”

Contreras gave up three hits and two walks in two innings. He did retire his last five batters, including three on strikeouts.

Matsui’s first exhibition game in the United States was broadcast live on high-definition television in Japan at 3:15 a.m., and he was watched closely from New York to Tokyo to see how he would adjust to a new brand of baseball.

He received little fanfare his first at-bat, getting a warm ovation that was no louder than for any of the other Yankees as he stepped to the plate in the second inning against Ryan Dempster.

He came up again in the third inning against Jimmy Anderson. With the count full and a few fans chanting “Mat-su-i,” he hit a line drive down the right-field line for a two-run homer.

“He was locked in,” Manager Joe Torre said. “He fouled off some tough pitches and then hit a rocket. It didn’t take long to get out of here.

“Very impressive. I was very impressed with his first day.”

Matsui, who signed a $21 million, three-year contract during the off-season, was a three-time MVP in Japan’s Central League.

Yankee second baseman Alfonso Soriano missed the game with a sore right shoulder. He is expected to be out two-to-three days.

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Texas reliever Rudy Seanez was hit above the left eye by a throw and taken to a hospital as the Kansas City Royals beat a Ranger split squad, 6-3, at Surprise, Ariz.

X-rays on Seanez were negative. The pitcher said he was feeling OK before going to the hospital.

Seanez was covering first base when struck by shortstop Drew Meyer’s throw in the sixth inning.

Texas Manager Buck Showalter said Seanez apparently never saw the ball, losing sight of it while looking back toward white signs on the left-field wall and scoreboard at the new stadium the Rangers and Royals share.

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Jim Thome homered in his first at-bat to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-3, in the exhibition opener for both teams at Bradenton, Fla.

The solo drive came on an 0-1 changeup from Jeff D’Amico. Thome grounded out in his only other at-bat.

“It probably took some heat off of him a little bit to homer that first time up,” Philadelphia Manager Larry Bowa said. “The fans are expecting a lot from him. I’m sure if he went 0 for 1 there, there would be some people in Philly getting panicky.”

Thome signed a six-year, $85 million contract as a free agent in November.

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Ivan Rodriguez singled and drove in the Florida Marlins’ first run with a sacrifice fly to help them beat the Baltimore Orioles, 4-3, at Jupiter, Fla.

The Orioles wore No. 51 patches on their sleeves to honor former pitcher Steve Bechler, who died Feb. 17 of heatstroke following a workout.

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Randy Johnson pitched two hitless innings with two strikeouts in his spring debut and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies, 3-1, at Tucson, Ariz.... The Astros agreed to terms with their top two starting pitchers, right-handers Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller.... Dewon Brazelton, Tampa Bay’s pitcher who tweaked his right knee during a sliding drill Wednesday, had tests that determined the injury is not serious.