BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Hideki Matsui's first game at Yankee Stadium was memorable for a number of reasons.
Matsui hit his first homer, a fifth-inning grand slam, and made a superb defensive play to lift the New York Yankees to a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Nicknamed "Godzilla," Matsui homered 50 times in Japan's Central League last season and captured his third home run title, but he did not homer during the Yankees' season-opening road trip, despite hitting in all six games.
After Bernie Williams was walked intentionally to load the bases with one out in the fifth, Matsui drove a 3-2 pitch from Minnesota starter Joe Mays (1-1) into the bleachers in right field and gave New York a 7-1 advantage.
"It was unbelievable," Matsui said through an interpreter. "When I hit the ball, I had a feeling it was going to be a home run. It was the greatest moment I've ever had and I will never forget (it)."
"It was a mistake and he hit it, a changeup right down the middle," Mays said. "I gotta make my pitch. It was a changeup that went flat."
Matsui became the first player in Yankees history to hit a grand slam in his first game at Yankee Stadium. The 28-year-old rookie also was the first to register his first Yankees home run with the bases loaded since Horace Clarke in 1965.
A snowstorm postponed Monday's home opener and the temperature at game time Tuesday was 35 degrees.
Matsui warmed up the crowd in the top of the fourth with a stellar defensive play in left field. The score was 1-0 with one out and runners on first and second when Matsui cut off Torii Hunter's double to the gap in left-center field. The Twins scored just one run on the play and Matsui received a standing ovation.
After Matsui walked to lead off the bottom half of the fourth, Robin Ventura's home run to right put the Yankees ahead for good, 3-1.
"(Matsui) has had great at-bats," Ventura said. "He sees a lot of pitches. He is disciplined as a hitter. He is an all-around good player."
The Yankees took their sixth straight home opener. They have won 11 of their last 12 openers at Yankee Stadium and improved to 65-35-1 all time in home openers.
Andy Pettitte (2-0) improved to 3-0 in home openers. The lefthander allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings before being replaced by Antonio Osuna.
Hunter went 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI, but the Twins fell below .500 (3-4) for the first time since the end of the 2000 season, a club-record span of 328 consecutive games.
Last season, Jason Giambi won over the Yankees Stadium crowd in New York's first home meeting with Minnesota. Giambi belted a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the 14th inning on May 17 as the Yankees rallied for an improbable 13-12 victory over the Twins.
"(Matsui) got a big hit, that is what the fans want," Giambi said. "He got a big one out the way. I got my first big hit against the Twins. ... He is doing great, definitely. He is a confident player."
Nick Johnson and Giambi had back-to-back singles with one out in the fifth. The runners were on second and third when Williams, who had 12 hits and nine RBI in his previous six games, was put on to set up a potential double play.
"Bernie's on fire right now," Mays said. "We pitched around Bernie, tried to get Matsui, but I made a bad pitch. ... It was tough to throw a breaking ball today. I was limited to my sinker and changeup."
"I wasn't surprised (they walked Williams), it has happened before," Matsui said.
A three-time MVP in Japan, Matsui fell behind 0-1 and took a 2-2 pitch to work the count full.
"I went up there to do something for the team," Matsui said. "At this moment, when I look back, this might have been the moment that I felt to be a member of the New York Yankees."
Matsui went 1-for-3 with a walk, four RBI and two runs scored before capping his memorable day by recording the final out on A.J. Pierzynski's fly ball to left.
