The 42-year-old Marlins outfielder did it in the seventh inning against Colorado at Coors Field. After three forgettable at-bats, Suzuki tripled off the out-of-town scoreboard in right field to become the 30th major league player to reach 3,000 hits.
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Third base coach Lorenzo Bundy hugged Suzuki as Miami players came out of the dugout to congratulate him.
Suzuki became the 30th member of the 3,000-hit club with a 7th-inning triple. Seattle lost in the ALCS to the New York Yankees in 2001 and – 15 years later – the team still hasn’t returned to the postseason.
Ichiro was the definition of consistent having over 200 hits in each of his first 11 seasons.
“Jeff asked me about the stuff”, Suzuki said through an interpreter. “To have that special moment to share with the fans there, I don’t have any words how grateful I am”.
While Major League Baseball celebrated Suzuki’s achievement, it was even bigger news back home.
“For me, it’s been an honor to watch him play, an honor to have managed him”, Mattingly said.
He had his chances – he pinch-hit in all three games and was twice robbed of hits by fine Cubs defensive plays. Everything he does is a tribute to the game of baseball. “That’s what you’re supposed to do”.
That sum total has resulted in some U.S. voices, saying it is not in the same class as that of the legendary Pete Rose, who garnered his Major League record 4,256 hits over a 24-year career, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. Machado hit another two-run homer in the third off Matt Albers. He was behind in the count on each at-bat before taking advantage of a 2-1 count by driving Rusin’s 86 miles per hour cutter off the scoreboard to become just the second player in major league history to triple for hit No. 3,000. He won seven straight batting titles and is in the country’s Hall of Fame. Several dozen reporters and photographers from Japan had been logging lots of air miles following their nation’s most famous athlete as he approached the milestone and then went into a slump. “There are still very few”, Suzuki said.
“I always kept the 200th-hit bat that I used and one year I kept using it and I broke that bat”, he said. We’re not there yet.
The only other player to collect his 3,000th hit with a triple was Paul Molitor. “Hopefully this did that and bring that closer”.
Reds 7, Pirates 3: Major league steals leader Billy Hamilton swiped four bases, had three hits and scored three runs, leading Cincinnati past Pittsburgh. He is just the fourth player with 3,000 hits and 10 Gold Glove awards, joining Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline.
Sakamoto said Ichiro closely followed her dietary advice, unlike many other young players. When his Japan and Major League Baseball years are combined, Suzuki has earned 17 consecutive Gold Gloves and has been named to 17 straight All-Star Games.
Sidelined with a mild herniated disc since his last start on June 26, Kershaw (11-4, 1.79 ERA) was moved to the 60-day disabled list on Wednesday and is not eligible to return until August 27.
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Information from ESPN contributor Walter Villa and The Associated Press was used in this report.
