Intro:

Post-game reaction after the Hanshin Tigers defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-1 at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday (March 25th).

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Eric Wedge, Seattle Mariners Manager

(on the experience of playing in Japan):

"It was an exciting atmosphere. We knew it was going to be like that, but I think it was a great experience for our players, particularly our young players, to be part of something like that. You know, obviously it had more of a big league feel out there than normal exhibition games. I think it's a good thing for our young kids to go through and obviously we have to do a better job than we did tonight."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Munenori Kawasaki, Seattle Mariners Infielder

(on returning home to play in Japan):

"Very, very, very happy. Thank you skipper. I am studying English little bit. Thank you, I appreciate. I enjoy myself now. Gambattei (try my best), Gambattei."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Eric Wedge, Seattle Mariners Manager

(on his Japanese players Ichiro Suzuki, Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma returning home to play):

"When you saw all those flashbulbs firing when he (Ichiro) came up to the plate I think that says it all right there. I think it's great for the fans, it's great for baseball. it's great for the Mariners, you know, that we're over here right now. All three of these young men are great players in their own right, so to have the opportunity to come over here and play in front of their hometown fans, I think it's a special moment."

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Yutaka Wada, Hanshin Tigers Manager

(on beating the Seattle Mariners):

"The players had been looking forward to this game for a while. They were different today, very serious. We have played about 20 game spring training, but today I felt like my players turned on their switch for the first time. This game will set a good tone for us."