Tokyo series finishes 1-1
TOKYO -- Split two games, get back on a plane.
Rich Harden struck out nine over 6 innings, and Emil Brown hit a =3-run homer, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in the finale of their season-opening series in Japan.
"Last night we lost a heartbreaker. We won tonight. Now everyone's looking forward to getting back to the Bay Area and recovering," Oakland manager Bob Geren said.
Boston began its World Series title defense by winning Tuesday's opener 6-5 in 10 innings after rallying in the ninth. The Red Sox headed to Los Angeles after Wednesday's game for three more exhibitions against the Dodgers, including one at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday.
"We'll take a step back tomorrow and have an optional workout," manager Terry Francona said. "We tried to do our homework on what to expect from travel. We're not going to talk ourselves into being tired, and we'll do what we need to do to get ready for the next start in Oakland."
After the New York Yankees went to Japan to start the 2004 season against Tampa Bay, several players said they had trouble adjusting when they got home.
The Red Sox and A's will resume their regular seasons with a two-game series starting Tuesday in Oakland.
No team has ever swept a season-opening series in Japan. The Cubs and New York Mets split their two-game Japanese series in 2000, as did the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004.
With Japanese stars Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox were clearly the fan favorites this week.
"We were received so warmly," Francona said. "Having Daisuke and Hideki added to that and hopefully we gained some fans."
Harden (1-0) helped the A's gain something from the trip. He is coming back from three injury-plagued seasons, and he made just four starts last year -- none after July 7. This time, the right-hander allowed 3 hits and 3 walks, throwing 95 pitches.
"I had some bad luck the past couple of years," Harden said. "But hopefully, I can put that behind me and do what I need to do to help the ballclub this season."
Oakland built a 4-0 lead against Jon Lester (0-1) while Harden shut down the Red Sox. He allowed his only run in the sixth on a homer by Manny Ramirez, who struck out in his first two at-bats.
"Rich showed tonight against the world champions how good he is and how much we need him," Geren said. "His entire spring training went well with no health issues. We're hoping to get 30-plus more starts like that."
Oakland went ahead in the second inning of this one when Bobby Crosby doubled and scored on Chris Denorfia's single. Brown made it 4-0 with a 3-run homer in the third.
Oakland added a run in the eighth off Bryan Corey on Jeff Fiorentino's RBI single after a double by Kurt Suzuki, a native of Hawaii with Japanese grandparents.
Ramirez struck out three times after hitting a pair of 2-run doubles Tuesday. His home run Wednesday, deep into the left-field seats, moved him within 9 of joining the 500-homer club.
Lester gave up 4 runs, 5 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings.
"Emil got one pitch just a little bit over the plate and he hit it over the wall," Lester said.