NewsMatsui's old mates win Japan Series
Yomiuri beats Nippon Ham Fighters for first title since '02By John Schlegel / MLB.com
11/07/09 2:58 PM EST
Just days after Hideki Matsui led the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2000 with an MVP performance, his former team in Japan also celebrated its first title in several years.The Yomiuri Giants won their first Japan Series title since 2002, the last year Matsui was there, with a 2-0 victory over the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 6 of the Japan Series on Saturday at Sapporo Dome.
Shinnosuke Abe doubled in a run and Tetsuya Matsumoto singled one home to lead the Giants to the win that clinched the venerable franchise's 21st Japan Series title.
Matsui, the first Japanese-born player to win World Series MVP, hit 50 homers for the Giants the last year they'd won the Japan Series, one of three they won while Matsui played for them 1993-2002. He batted .302 with 332 homers and 889 RBIs while with the Giants for 10 seasons.
John Schlegel is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
