Murakami's 1st postseason HR? A 440-foot moonshot in Game 1 of ALDS

CLEVELAND -- The White Sox cruised through two victories over the Astros during the American League Wild Card Series with middle-of-the-order forces Miguel Vargas and Munetaka Murakami finishing a combined 1-for-17 with no extra-base hits.

Their success rate changed quickly in the South Siders' 3-0 win in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field. Vargas singled to open the fourth against rookie southpaw Parker Messick, followed by a mammoth first-pitch home run from Murakami on a Messick sinker inside and a little bit up in the zone. It was Murakami’s first career postseason homer.

Murakami stopped briefly to watch the long drive, as did many others at Progressive Field, with Murakami launching it a Statcast-projected 440 feet to go along with a 112.2 mph exit velocity. Murakami became the fourth White Sox rookie with a postseason homer, joining Gavin Sheets (2021 ALDS), Luis Robert Jr. (2020 ALWC) and Tadahito Iguchi (2005 ALDS).

Iguchi and Murakami are two of the four players from Japan to suit up for the White Sox, joining Shingo Takatsu and Kosuke Fukudome.

Those two runs came after Bryan Hudson pitched out of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the third after rookie starter Hagen Smith walked three straight with two outs. Chase DeLauter worked the count full against Hudson before lofting a routine fly ball to left fielder Randal Grichuk.