This was one monster game by 'Godzilla'

By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff, 10/20/2003

NEW YORK -- On the eve of this 99th World Series, now tied at a game apiece after last night's 6-1 Yankees win, a top scout for the Marlins assessed his team's chances thusly: "With our speed and the way we catch the ball, we can win the close games, but we're also the type of team that gets blown out when the pitching isn't there."

Talk about form holding this weekend: Florida won the opener, 3-2, as speedy leadoff man Juan Pierre created all three runs with a leadoff bunt single and a two-run base hit.

Last night, it was Yankees manager Joe Torre playing a hunch and giving his Japanese left fielder, Hideki Matsui, the green light on a 3-and-0 pitch from lefthander Mark Redman with two on and one out in the first inning. Matsui responded with a three-run home run over the center-field fence, and suddenly, the Series was guaranteed of going global, even if from John W. Henry on down, no one is watching in New England.

Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to hit a home run in the Series, which should be worth a few bucks in endorsements on both sides of the international date line, and not just for pitching oversized baseball caps (he wears a size 8).

The TV ratings in Japan were expected to be off the charts in Tokyo, even though it was midmorning today in Japan when he made history.

"He's pretty good at being able to detect a strike, as opposed to, `I'm going to look for a fastball and swing at it no matter where it is,' " said Torre, who never has been shy about giving his players the go-ahead on 3 and 0.

"Like I've said, he's a good situation guy. I did the same thing in Cincinnati, gave him the green light, and he hit a 3-and-0 homer over the center-field fence. I think that's an indication of a real good hitter who knows his ability . . . he knows where his strength is."

When Matsui delivered a big ground-rule double off Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series Thursday night, he knocked President Bush's meeting with the Japanese prime minister off the top of that day's Japanese newscasts.

And when Juan Rivera doubled home a run in the second and Alfonso Soriano snapped out of his funk with a two-run home run in the fourth, the rout was on and the Yankees were assured of going to Florida tied at 1 in this best-of-seven Series.

Matsui, who had three singles in Game 1, leads the Yankees in postseason RBIs with 10 after his second home run in October, the first coming in Game 3 of the Division Series against the Twins.

Godzilla, as Matsui was known back in his native Japan, has had dozens of reporters charting his every move since signing a three-year, $21 million deal to leave home and make his mark here, just like Toyota, Sony, Canon, and any other Japanese heavyweight you care to name.

An affable man who was a three-time MVP in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui's performance for the Yankees was more modest than what was expected from a player who was Ruthian in his production overseas, hitting 50 home runs last season.

But he endeared himself to Yankees fans by hitting a grand slam against the Twins in New York's home opener, blended in nicely with his teammates here, and won the respect of Torre by his professionalism and consistency. Matsui hit just 16 home runs, but he drove in 106 runs, the highest season total by a Yankees rookie since Joe DiMaggio knocked in 125 in 1936, and hit .287. He also appeared in all 163 games played by the Yankees this season, and at 29, is the odds-on favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award over Rocco Baldelli of the Devil Rays and Angel Berroa of the Royals.

"Before I saw him play, with the number of home runs he's hit the last couple of years, I was a little concerned because it's tough to change not only leagues but countries, and expect this big power hitter," Torre said. "I saw him in spring training and I saw a different person. He's more of a line-drive hitter and I like that a whole lot better because that fits us a lot better.

"By the time we left spring training, Don Zimmer and I both thought he'd hit .300 and drive in 100 runs. He has a very solid swing, plus the fact he knows how to hit. By that, I mean, he knows how to hit in situations. To me, that's more important than a lot of ability somebody else might have."

Matsui said he surprised himself by how excited he was when the Yankees edged out the Sox Thursday night.

"I knew about the Yankees," he said the next day, "but I didn't know if I expected something like last night.

"I was happy. I always wanted to get to the World Series."

Matsui was not unaware of Yankee tradition when he arrived here. As his translator relayed in spring training, "He knows about the curse of Babe Ruth." Believe in curses? "I believe in anything that's good for me," he said through his translator. "Anything bad for me, I don't believe in."