A cacophony of chants, horns, drums and cheers greeted Julian Merryweather as he faced the Hanshin Tigers, while the Chicago Cubs hitters experienced a very different atmosphere in the 3-0

With the team going with a bullpen day for their first exhibition game in Japan, Merryweather opened for the Cubs against the NPB’s Hanshin Tigers. And after a relatively subdued first half inning, the chants began soon after Merryweather took the mound for warmup pitches.

The Chicago Cubs began their first of two exhibition games in Japan by losing 3-0 to the Hanshin Tigers. Offensively, the Cubs were held without a hit until the sixth inning and finished with just three in the contest.