“I think baseball was always more than just a game to him”.
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Nolan Arenado did most of that damage, mashing two dingers to drive in four runs. Arenado, who entered the game 6-for-37 with one homer and four RBIs in his past 10 games, belted a three-run homer in the fifth, his 29th of the season and the 99th of his career, trimming Miami’s lead to 8-6.
Adam Conley (8-6) allowed six runs in five innings. Fernando Rodney, the fifth Marlins’ pitcher, worked the ninth to earn his 18th save this season and first with the Marlins.
Albert Pujols is about a season and a half away from 3,000 at 2,774 hits.
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.
“He said he wants to play until he is 50.and I hope he will enjoy the majors and really does play until he is 50, even if others may laugh at him for playing so long”, Nobuyuki Suzuki said.
The anticipation of history being made was unmistakably present around Coors Field all Sunday afternoon. “We gave him a big hug and told him he deserved it”, said Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, who was the first player to reach Suzuki as he stood on third. “That’s what you’re supposed to do”.
Suzuki was happy to share the moment with everyone.
The Philadelphia Phillies edged a narrow encounter with the San Diego Padres 6-5, three runs in the fourth inning sealed a 3-1 success for the Seattle Mariners over the Los Angeles, the Arizona Diamondbacks won 9-3 against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs saw off the Oakland Athletics 3-1. “I love this game and I love this team”, he said, often choking up. His reluctance to dive for balls or crash into walls infuriated some teammates, but Ichiro felt his presence in the lineup was more important than an occasional web gem. Christian Yelich, who had three RBI, doubled home two runs, and with two outs, Jeff Mathis, who also had three RBI, hit a two-run double.
“For me, it’s been an honor to watch him play, an honor to have managed him”, Mattingly said. He’s under contract to the Rangers through 2019, and is, in my opinion, one of the most underappreciated players in the game today. Everything he does is a tribute to the game of baseball. “He shows our guys how you do it”.
Suzuki gave the crowd a wave as he went into the dugout. Major League teams didn’t know if he would be productive with the bat in the Major Leagues or if he could withstand a 162-game season. Ichiro proved his critics wrong, not only winning the AL rookie of the year, but also bagging that year’s league MVP. Machado hit another two-run homer in the third off Matt Albers. It was only the second time a player had reached 3,000 hits with a triple. “I’ve been able to get some hits”.
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The Japanese star reached a significant milestone Sunday. “A true professional in every sense of the word, this is just another milestone in the legacy he is building as a baseball player”.
