MILWAUKEE -- Chicago Cubs rookie outfielder Seiya Suzuki returned to the lineup after missing about five weeks with a sprained left ring finger and legged out an inside-the-park home run in the ninth inning of Monday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
"Obviously my injury kind of prolonged my time out from this team,'' Suzuki said through an interpreter after the game. "I was very frustrated. So this game kind of meant a lot to me.''
Suzuki went 2-for-4 on the day, including a clutch home run to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Suzuki hit a drive off Brewers closer Josh Hader that ricocheted off an angled portion of the center-field wall, bounced past center fielder Jonathan Davis and rolled along the warning track back toward right field.
Davis finally chased the ball down and threw to second baseman Luis Urias as Suzuki sprinted around the bases. After Urias threw to the plate, Suzuki slid around Caratini's tag attempt at the plate.
"Just one of those plays you'll see once every five years in this park,'' Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Milwaukee tied the game soon after in the bottom of the ninth, and then a three-run shot from Victor Caratini in the 10th gave the Brewers a 5-2 victory.
Suzuki, 27, signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Cubs in March after starring for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. He was a five-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner during nine seasons with the Carp.
Suzuki came into Monday's game hitting .245 with a .344 on-base percentage, four homers and 21 RBIs in 41 games with the Cubs. He hadn't played since May 26 due to the injury.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.