Altuve puts final touches on impressive Japan trip
Jose Altuve wrapped up his trip to Japan by going 1-for-5 with a walk and a run in Thursday's 6-4 loss to Samurai Japan in an exhibition game at Okinawa Cellular Stadium.
The Astros second baseman went 6-for-14 (.429) in the official five-game Japan All-Star Series, emerging off the bench as one of the Major League Baseball All-Star squad's best hitters. He went a combined 1-for-7 in two exhibition games on either side of the series.
The reigning American League batting champion started the MLB squad's tour of Japan on the bench, sitting during the club's first exhibition game and three of its first four games behind Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano. But when Cano went down with a broken toe, MLB manager John Farrell shuffled his lineup and turned to Altuve.
Altuve went 3-for-4 in Game 4 as the MLB All-Stars picked up their first win over Samurai Japan, and he followed that up with another three-hit game in Tuesday's Game 5 victory.
Altuve recorded an infield single in the first inning Thursday, walked in the sixth and scored a run after reaching on an error in the eighth.
Video: JPN@MLB: Altuve legs out infield single
Japan All-Star Series results
• Exhibition: MLB 8, Hanshin-Yomiuri 7 | Box
• Game No. 1: Japan 2, MLB 0 | Box
• Game No. 2: Japan 8, MLB 4 | Box
• Game No. 3: Japan 4, MLB 0 | Box
• Game No. 4: MLB 6, Japan 1 | Box
• Game No. 5: MLB 3, Japan 1 | Box
• Exhibition: Japan 6, MLB 4 | Box