MILWAUKEE -- Two Major League games, two home runs for Munetaka Murakami.
The White Sox first baseman connected off Chad Patrick on the first pitch of the fourth Saturday. The Statcast-projected 409-foot blast made the left-handed-hitting slugger the second Japanese-born former NPB player to homer in each of his first two MLB games, joining Kenji Johjima. He’s also the first player in White Sox history to homer in each of his first two career games.
Murakami connected in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 14-2 Opening Day loss, leading off against Jake Woodford. His home run Saturday tied him with a long list of former players at two blasts for his White Sox career, including general manager Chris Getz, who brought Murakami to the White Sox via a two-year, $34 million deal.
Along with the two long balls, Murakami has walked three times in the first two games, and is settling in at first base -- robbing Jake Bauers with a diving play in the bottom of the fifth inning. His first career strikeout came against southpaw Aaron Ashby to strand two runners in the fifth.