Yomiuri Giants reliever Tetsuya Yamaguchi, for some reason, thought he could get away with a first-pitch, 128-kph slider over the outside of the plate against Jonny Gomes.
A few seconds later, Gomes, the newest member of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, was jogging around the bases as the throng of Eagles fans in the left-field stands, where the three-run home run ball landed, were voicing their approval.
It was an emphatic return to Tokyo Dome for Gomes, who also faced the Giants in an exhibition in 2012. He was a member of the Oakland Athletics then, preparing for the MLB season opener against the Seattle Marines at the Big Egg (he homered during that series). Gomes' season begins in Japan again this year, the major difference being that it won't be for a cameo but an entire campaign.