Ichiro retiring after Tokyo finale
TOKYO -- Ichiro Suzuki received a grand sendoff in his final game Thursday in Japan.
ESPN reported during Thursday's telecast that Ichiro would officially retire after Thursday's game, which went to extra innings at the Tokyo Dome.
The capacity crowd roared as Ichiro was removed from right field in the eighth inning in an extended celebration in front of the Seattle Mariners dugout. Each teammate greeted him individually and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. awaited for an embrace as Ichiro entered the dugout.
His professional career ends with 3,089 hits in Major League Baseball, which doesn't include the 1,278 he notched in Japanese pro baseball.
MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001 when he broke in with the Mariners, Ichiro made the All-Star team 10 times and won 10 Gold Gloves. He won three Silver Slugger Awards.
He set the all-time single-season record with 262 hits in 2004 and had 10 seasons with at least 200 hits.
Athletics reliever Joakim Soria struck out Ichiro looking in his final at-bat.
--Field Level Media
