Reigning Pacific League MVP Yuki Yanagita looked in midseason form on Sunday, when he homered twice and drove in six runs in a 10-3 preseason win over the Hiroshima Carp.
Yanagita, who grew up in Hiroshima as a fan of the Carp, hit his first homer off Carp legend Hiroki Kuroda in the first inning. The right-hander tried to go inside with a 2-1 fastball to the left-handed-hitting slugger, but missed up and over the plate. Yanagita drilled it five rows back into Yafuoku Dome's remote permanent seats in left center.
"I felt he (Kuroda) had an aura. He looked big," Yanagita said. "I couldn't believe it went so far."