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- [Len Kasper] Baez out into deep left, and it is gone!
Cubs on the board.
Out into deep right, and it is gone!
He's done it again.
On the very first pitch. 7-2.
♪ [music] ♪
[Harry Caray] Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!
Holy cow!
Mark Grace came through with a single to left,
and the Cubs have won the season's opener
before a capacity crowd.
- [Announcer] Mitch Williams in all kinds of trouble.
- Bases loaded, nobody out.
- And he struck him out!
- He struck him out! Holy cow!
Two men out.
Don't you wish you were here?
Not being here, we're glad you're at least watching it.
The pitch...
He struck him out! He struck him out!
Holy cow! With the bases loaded,
nobody out, he struck out Mike Schmidt swinging,
Chris James swinging, Ryal swinging,
and wins the ballgame.
- [Announcer] The Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan; the venue for the opening
of Major League Baseball 2000. This historical series marks
the first time in Major League history that regular season
games have been played outside of North America.
Two storied franchises: the Cubs and the Mets
have made the journey to the Land of the Rising Sun and have
been greeted with anticipation.
- And that is, many times, where the damage is done.
- Grace puts a charge into one way back to right field.
- Whether it be the English language or in Japanese,
it's all the same: Home run.
- We heard Mark Grace talking about his approach to hitting
earlier in the game. There are some situations
you just go up there and look for a pitch to drive.
- [Announcer] Now Carlos Zambrano the batter; this guy can hit.
And it's down the line; fair.
With back-to-back bullets in this one.
Base hit into right field by Walker.
- Broken bat flick. Going to fall; another base hit.
That ball blasted into straightaway center field.
Cruz at the wall, and it's up against the wall.
Two more runs are going to score and it is 6-0, Cubs
here in the second inning.
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- [Pat Hughes] Hart, the right fielder; very, very deep.
3-1 pitch. Kosuke hits a high fly ball
deep right-center, back toward the wall is Gwynn.
That ball is gone! - [Ron Santo] Yes!
- [Hughes] Game tied 3-3. - [Santo] Yes, sir!
[Hughes] Kosuke Fukudome with a three-run homer.
Oh, my gosh. The game is tied at 3.
- [Santo] Oh, how 'bout this! How 'bout that Opening Day?
Oh my gosh, three for three with a base on balls,
a three-run homer, a fastball and he nailed that baby.
Oh, man, how big was that?
[Hughes] They are dancing in their seats here at Wrigley Field.
The ballgame is tied at three. Kosuke makes a curtain call.
♪ [music] ♪
- [Announcer] And the baseball began to bounce the Cubs' way
on Opening Day. 11th inning, Cubs trailing the Phillies
6-5 and Willie Smith pinch hitting.
- Deep to right, well hit, back, back, back! Hey, hey! It's all over!
Willie Smith just homered, the Cubs win the game!
And look at the reception at home plate for Willie Smith. Oh boy!
- Smith's blast, thereby triggered a three-game streak
with the Phillies and established a winning habit.
It was the first of the sorted key moments enjoyed by the Cubs
offense.
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- [Hughes] Here comes the 1-0 from Glavine.
Patterson hits a ground ball into right field; a base hit.
Another run is in.
Patterson hits a ground ball into center field; a base hit.
Choi around third, he's going to head home.
The throw by Cedeno not in time. Cubs lead 5-2.
Corey Patterson is two for two against Tom Glavine
- No balls and one strike on Patterson, Corey two for three.
- Hits a high fly ball into deep right field. Back goes Burnitz.
He's back near the wall. Burnitz cannot make the catch.
That ball is gone. Three-run homer, Corey Patterson.
Cubs lead 10-2.
- Here's Patterson hitting a fly ball into left-center.
Cedeno going back. I'm not sure if he sees this one;
back near the wall... It's gone!
Another home run for Corey Patterson.
Can you believe it? His second of the day.
He has 7 RBIs, and the Cubs lead 15-2.
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- [Announcer] 1-1 the score. It's a pretty good shot to center field.
A very good shot... The ball game's over!
The Cubs win on a Billy Williams home run.
♪ [music] ♪
- Well, it looks like the World Series, doesn't it?
With all those players crowded around the hero of the afternoon
Billy Williams as his tremendous home run to right-center broke
the 1-1 deadlock and gave the Cubs the 2-1 victory
on Opening Day in 10 innings.
- [Harry Caray] 3-2 pitch, swung on. High fly ball way back!
Might be, could be, and it is! Holy cow!
Long drive way back. It might be, it could be!
And it is. Tuffy Rhodes has hit two of 'em
off Doc Gooden.
- [Announcer] And there's a drive! Way back! Oh, my goodness!
Rhodes three at bats, three home runs
against Dwight Gooden in this, his Opening Day start.
And there's the curtain call.
♪ [music] ♪