TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Chicago Cubs left Japan in the early hours of Thursday after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the two-game, season-opening Tokyo Series, but their manager and Game 2 starting pitcher stressed the trip was a valuable experience.

The challenging schedule comprised four games, including two exhibitions, over a five-day stretch following a long flight to a completely different time zone.

"The games didn't go the way we wanted to, but I think we had an experience of a lifetime," manager Craig Counsell told a press conference Wednesday after the much-hyped series in which Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani commanded much of the spotlight.

"I've played baseball my whole life, and to be able to play it on a stage like this, that truly means the world to me," left-hander Justin Steele said.

After two weekend exhibition games against Nippon Professional Baseball clubs, the Cubs played regular-season games in Japan for the first time since Sammy Sosa's 2000 team took on Mike Piazza's New York Mets.

Matt Shaw, the Cubs' first-round pick in the 2023 draft, made his major league debut in Tuesday's Game 1 and had his first career hit a day later.

Steele stepped to the mound in Game 2, knowing he had to outperform Dodgers rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki.

But the Dodgers got to Steele early and built a 5-1 lead thanks to home runs from Tommy Edman and Enrique "Kike" Hernandez.

"Just home runs kind of hurt me tonight, but overall, I felt pretty good. I felt really cool to pitch here in Tokyo," the 29-year-old said after giving up five runs in four innings.

Steele was the Cubs' Opening Day starter last year but had no issue allowing Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga to take that assignment this time.

Major League Baseball has taken the game from the United States and Canada to other parts of the world. In June 2023, Steele pitched in the London Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I don't know how many countries I've pitched in now," Steele said. "It's awesome. It's something a lot of people can't really say they've done."

"To get my 500th career strikeout here in Tokyo, just something I'll never forget (and is) something I'll tell my kids and grandkids."

Sasaki was unable to make the sensational major league debut Japanese fans had hoped for.

The 23-year-old former Lotte Marines right-hander barely got through three innings after throwing only 25 of his 56 pitches for strikes and walking five.

He struck out three, two of them in a bases-loaded situation, to limit the damage to one run.

"He (Sasaki) got himself in trouble with some walks. We were missing a big hit all night," Counsell said. "We did put pressure on him that we needed to, but he made pitches, especially in the third inning when we had bases loaded and one out."

"There was a real opportunity there just to get him out of the game. The next hit might get him out of the game. And he made pitches there, so give him credit. The stuff is really good, but I thought we did a good job executing our game plan."

(By Hiroki Noda)