Boston Red Sox newcomer Masataka Yoshida hit a solo home run off his Japanese compatriot Yusei Kikuchi in a 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Yoshida went 2-for-3 with two RBIs as the Red Sox fought back from a 6-3 deficit to win their fourth straight game at Fenway Park.
The two-time batting champion in Japan's Pacific League drove a 3-1 fastball from Kikuchi over the wall in right-center in the fourth inning for his fifth homer of the season.
Yoshida also delivered a run-scoring single in the fifth.
"I couldn't hit him in Japan, so it was good," Yoshida said of his matchup with Kikuchi. "I was able to connect on the fastball pretty well. The wind helped the ball carry, too."
Kikuchi was left with a no-decision after giving up five runs on nine hits in 4-1/3 innings. The left-handed pitcher, who had a 4-0 record with a 3.00 ERA in April, did not give up a walk and struck out two in a 93-pitch outing.
On Yoshida's home run, Kikuchi said, "I fell behind in the count, and he looked for a fastball and hit it."
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong hit a pair of solo home runs, with the first tying the game at 6 in the sixth inning and the second giving the team winning lead in the eighth.
