InsideJapan News Network

Japanese baseball player Hideki Matsui has hit his 500th career home run in America, as his team, the Oakland Athletics, beat the Detroit Tigers.

The designated hitter smashed the historic homer - which was unbelievably his first since June 16th - in the sixth inning, helping the team on their way to an 8-5 win, reports Japan Today.

Matsui, who was born in Neagari, Ishikawa, hit most of these home runs while playing in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants.

The baseball star, when asked about the momentous occasion, was characteristically modest, saying he does not even really count it as a milestone himself.

"I'm happy to get it over with, and it is even better that it helped us win a game," he said.

"It isn't like I have been aiming for this, because I don't really combine numbers from Japan and here. To me, they are two separate leagues."

Matsui played from the Yomiuri Giants from 1993 to 2003, hitting 332 home runs, before he joined the New York Yankees. He signed for the Oakland Athletics earlier this year.

Written by Mark Smith