Mariners notebook: No-hitter sinks in for Hisashi Iwakuma

BOSTON – After Hisashi Iwakuma threw the final pitch of his no-hitter on Wednesday, the whirlwind began. There were multiple interviews to do, a press conference to attend, family to say goodbye to and a cross-country trip to be made. The feat he had just accomplished really didn’t sink in until he landed with the team in Boston and saw over 100 messages on his phone.

“When I landed I got to see everything,” he said in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park through interpreter Antony Suzuki. “I was very surprised with how much news was in my country. It kind of hit me a lot.”

Iwakuma learned that many of the news channels in Japan switched to the game in the early morning when it became apparent that he might throw a no-hitter.

“It’s an honor. I didn’t know much about the history until that day and now you look back, thinking I am only the second Japanese pitcher to accomplish that here in the Major Leagues after (Hideo) Nomo is very special. It doesn’t happen a lot and I am very happy it turned out to be myself,” he said.

The day was made even more special as his family was at the ballpark. Not only his wife and kids, but her family as well. They arrived from Japan the day before and it was the only game they would see this year.

“I wanted to do something special,” said Kuma with a laugh after being asked if he wanted to impress his father-in-law, who played years ago for the Seibu Lions in Japan’s Pacific League. “They don’t get to see many of my games here. You want to do something that they would feel was special. I am very happy I got to do that in front of my family.”

It was a great day for Iwakuma in a Mariners uniform, a uniform he hopes to be in for years to come. He told reporters that pitching to 40 was a goal, pointing to Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara and former Yankee pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, who is still pitching in Japan, as examples. When asked if he would prefer to continue his career as a Mariner he simply answered yes. He would not comment on whether or not there had been talks of an extension with the team but this year that has seemed more like a matter of when rather than if. It will be something to watch for as the season winds down.

Lineup

Austin Jackson, CF
Kyle Seager, 3B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Seth Smith, RF
Jesus Montero, 1B
Logan Morrison, LF
Brad Miller, SS
Jesus Sucre, C

Mike Montgomery, LHP

Notes

• With the Seahawks preseason game on 710 ESPN tonight, today’s Mariners game will be broadcast on KTTH 770 AM.

• Jesus Sucre is starting rare back-to-back games. McClendon said it was a matter of matchups – Mike Zunino is 0 for 5 against Boston starter Joe Kelly and matches up against the two lefties coming up this weekend better./p>

• Montgomery on the hill might be one of the reasons why Sucre is in there as well. The last time out Montgomery was caught by Sucre and McClendon was very not happy with how much Montgomery shook off Sucre, including some pitches that came from the bench. Montgomery has very specific instructions today.

“Keep the ball down, just work the gameplan, work ahead in the count,” said McClendon. “Concentrate on quality pitches, and if he does that we should have a good chance to win a ballgame.”

• Starters for Monday and Tuesday have yet to be announced. Kuma’s regular day would be Monday but he could and most likely will be pushed to Tuesday.

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