Baseball-Ohtani and Dodgers top Cubs in historic opening day in Tokyo

TOKYO : The Dodgers were a long way from Los Angeles on Tuesday but with Shohei Ohtani and two more Japanese stars they were the home team for Tokyo fans in a historic season-opening 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Ohtani had two hits and scored twice, with starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto getting the win for five innings work. 

The five Japanese players in total with the two clubs marked the highest representation for the country in the six times Major League Baseball has held season-openers in Japan.

The starting pitcher showdown between countrymen Yamamoto and Shoto Imanaga for the Cubs was another day-one first.

"I just think it's great for the game," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the pitching match-up. "I think Japanese baseball with American Major League Baseball, this is as good as it gets."

"I'm just very grateful that we could be a part of this moment in time and making history," he added.

The Cubs struck first with a run-scoring double from catcher Miguel Amaya in the third inning. But a Cubs pitching change in the fifth backfired, as right-hander Ben Brown gave up a walk and hits to Ohtani, second baseman Tommy Edman, and catcher Will Smith, putting the Dodgers up 3-1. 

The Dodgers added insurance in the ninth when Ohtani got on base with a stand-up double and later scored off a single from right fielder Teoscar Hernandez.

FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE

It was a festive atmosphere at the Tokyo Dome, with thousands of fans taking selfies and enduring lengthy queues to buy merchandise.

By far the most popular name on the back of fans' jerseys was Ohtani, who snagged his third Most Valuable Player award and his first World Series last year after joining the Dodgers.

In the off season, the star-laden Dodgers picked up Japanese