great day here in Tokyo Japan

where last night fans in this

baseball crazed city got to

celebrate their favorite son.

Speaker 2: As each year old took

center stage in the 2019 regular

season opener as the sun sets on

his great career it rises

tonight on the latest Japanese

phenomena.

Speaker 1: You say Kikuchi makes

his major league debut in front

of what will be another very

enthusiastic Tokyo crowd.

It's Game 2 of the Mariners and

the A's from Japan.

And welcome to Major League

Baseball's Japan opening series

on ESPN our telecast is

presented by Edward Jones.

KUHN Bonsoir Yoko So Tokyo a few

more days I'm going to be

speaking a lot more words.

Welcome to Tokyo.

And good evening to you it's

Game 2 of this Japan series as

we open the season with the

Mariners and the athletics Dave

Fleming Eduardo Perez happy to

have you with us here again

tonight from the Tokyo Dome

where last night we saw quite a

scene did we with each euro

celebrated by these people who

just love him so much we don't

know if tonight is gonna be the

last game that he plays but I

think the fans here are going to

treat it that way yes they are

they are going to treat it that

way and the fan in me that has

seen each euro as an opponent as

a competitor and also as a

teammate I also believe this

could be it for him but I'll

tell you why it's because of the

way he goes about his business

before the game today he could

see that there's some emotion.

Speaker 2: Let's see how that

carries over.

Speaker 1: All right.

We will see.

Meanwhile I don't know if it's a

passing of the torch or not but

you say good coochie a great

pitcher from Japan is gonna make

his major league debut tonight

on the mound for the Mariners

What do you expect to see.

Speaker 2: Body control.

It's amazing to see a lot of

these Japanese pitchers when

they go to the United States.

How are they going to prepare.

How they're going to be ready.

This is one guy that has great

balance on the mound but most

importantly he's also has to

control his emotions because

we're in his home country Japan.

We'll see how he does a little

bit later.

Speaker 1: Yeah maybe not as big

of a deal as each role playing

here but it's a huge deal in

this country and it won't be

easy for Kikuchi.

He's facing a very powerful

lineup the A's who were third in

the big leagues and home runs

last year and they hit three on

opening night last night.

Speaker 2: They do and that's

one thing they do they can hit

the long ball you get runners on

base that's one thing that they

look for and it's from line to

line.

That's the most impressive part

about it watching Chapman

yesterday was impressive Davis.

These guys understand how to

understand how to elevate the

baseball.

Let's see if they'll understand

Kikuchi cutter.

Speaker 1: So he's been a

terrific way to start this

season and we've got game 2 of

the MLB season here from Tokyo.

Coming up next.

A gorgeous scene high up above

the Tokyo Dome here in the

world's biggest city and one of

the world's great cities we get

ready for Game 2 of the MLB

season.

The Japan series here from

Tokyo.

Speaker 2: And as the A's take

the field the Mariners coming up

they are the road team for both

of these games.

Here is what their lineup looks

like.

Eduardo they scored nine runs

last night on opening night so

why not keep it mostly the same.

Speaker 1: Absolutely.

Gordon's been getting on base.

We saw it yesterday.

Speaker 2: Edwin Encarnacion

gets it going early on in the

season.

This is a guy that can carry a

team.

Speaker 1: With his bat and they

will face Marco Estrada who has

been around for a long time.

Twelve major league seasons or

at least parts of them making

his Oakland debut here tonight.

And Estrada's first pitch up the

season 2 D Gordon.

Missed tie with our home plate

umpire Bill Wilkie behind the

plate tonight.

Speaker 2: There was a strike

from Estrada who was signed by

Oakland in the offseason Eduardo

the A's.

We know they had lots of

questions about their starting

rotation.

Speaker 1: And he is slotted in

as the number two at least as of

now.

Coming off what was probably his

worst major league season last

year with the Blue Jays.

That is again one thing that he

has spells.

If this guy is healthy.

Speaker 2: He is able.

He is going to be able to help

the athletics early on in spring

training got her with his back.

Speaker 1: It's really slowed

down the development he hasn't

pitched in the last two weeks.

So there is a major question

about how long he can go how

effective he can be D.

Gordon went after that high

pitch from Estrada and hit a

foul ball out of play and the

key to success is going to be.

This change.

Everybody talks about it.

It's a pitch that he'll throw

any count he'll elevate the

fastball especially late in

counts when he's ahead.

Andy Gordon who had a big impact

for the Mariners in last night's

game.

Almost like he was showing a

bunt even with two strikes.

The count is now 2 and 2.