TORONTO -- Japanese star Hideki Matsui got off to an impressive start for the New York Yankees, hitting an RBI single in his first major league at-bat Monday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Matsui came up with runners on first and third and two outs in the first inning against Roy Halladay.

He hit a hard grounder through the left side of the infield to drive in Derek Jeter with the Yankees' first run of the season.

Matsui flashed a little smile when he got to first base and the ball was returned to the Yankees' dugout for a souvenir.

The opposite-field hit was not what people expected from the power hitter. It was more like one from slap-hitting Ichiro Suzuki, who won the AL MVP two years ago with Seattle in his first season after leaving Japan.

Matsui was Japan's most famous power hitter, hitting 332 homers in 10 seasons, including 50 last year for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants.