TOKYO (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki was showered with cheers and chants while taking what appeared to be his final bow in a magnificent career that lasted nearly three decades Thursday night when the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in 12 innings.

The 45-year-old Ichiro went 0 for 4 in the second game of the Major League Baseball season. He got a chance at a storybook ending at the jammed Tokyo Dome when he came up with two outs, a runner on second base and a tie score in the eighth inning, but grounded out.

Ichiro drew a huge ovation from fans and teammates when he was pulled from right field in the bottom of the eighth. The buzz from the sellout crowd of 45,000 diminished after his exit.

Domingo Santana, who hit a grand slam in Seattle’s 9-7 win in the opener Wednesday, beat out a double-play relay with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run in the 12th.

Ryon Healy and Mitch Haniger homered for the Mariners, off to their first 2-0 start since opening 3-0 in 2014.

Khris Davis hit a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded in the Oakland seventh to make it 4-all. Davis led the majors with 48 home runs last year and homered Wednesday. Davis struck out with the bases loaded to end the 11th.

Dee Gordon singled off losing pitcher Ryan Buchter to begin the Seattle 12th. He later scored on Santana’s one-out grounder when A’s shortstop Marcus Semien and second baseman Jurickson Profar were slow on the turn.

Zac Rosscup got the win and Hunter Strickland closed for his second save.

Ichiro was all smiles as he greeted his teammates after the final out.

The 10-time All-Star, whose pro career began in his homeland in 1992 when he was 18, took his spot in right field to begin the bottom of the eighth. He was then pulled to one more ovation, punctuating his walk with waves, tips of the hat and hugs as cameras flashed all around the park.

Ichiro’s teammates met him outside the dugout for a proper send-off in a three-minute tribute. Yusei Kikuchi, who pitched into the fifth inning of his major league debut, bowed to Ichiro — the Mariners rookie was tearing up as he buried his head into Ichiro’s shoulder.

Kikuchi became the first Japanese-born player to make his major league debut in Japan. Showing a firm fastball and sharp slider, the 27-year-old lefty gave up four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

In a fitting scene — a passing of the torch, possibly — Ichiro caught a flyball to end the fourth inning and Kikuchi waited for him outside the dugout for a fist bump. Kikuchi could be the next big star from Japan, having signed a contact in January that could be worth $109 million over seven years.

Kikuchi, who went to the same high school as Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, made his second pro start at the Tokyo Dome. He won with Seibu last June. Hiding the ball in his delivery, he often kept Oakland batters off-balance while striking out three and walking one.

Semien hit an RBI single on Kikuchi’s 91st and final pitch, making it 3-1. Roenis Elias relieved and got Matt Chapman to hit a comebacker, but first baseman Jay Bruce dropped the throw, allowing a run to score.

A’s starter Marco Estrada allowed three runs in five innings. The 35-year-old righty made his Oakland debut after going 7-14 with a career-worst 5.64 ERA last season for Toronto while hampered by hip and back problems.

Mariners: 1B Daniel Vogelbach didn’t start, a day after being hit in the left elbow by a pitch.

Athletics: Top A’s pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo will be shut down for four to six weeks because of a strained left shoulder. The 21-year-old was in the mix for a rotation spot.

Mariners: Back to spring training for the M’s. For the players who didn’t make the trip to Japan, there are exhibition games Thursday night in Arizona against the split-squad Reds and Friday night with the split-squad Angels. Seattle opens the regular season at home March 28 against the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Athletics: The A’s get a couple days off before resuming exhibition play Sunday at the Coliseum vs. San Francisco. Oakland begins the regular season March 28 at home against Mike Trout and the Angels.</s>Ichiro says goodbye to adoring fans; Mariners beat A's in 12

TOKYO (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki was showered with cheers and chants Thursday night while taking his final bow in a magnificent career that lasted nearly three decades when the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in 12 innings.

The 45-year-old Ichiro went 0 for 4 in the second game of the Major League Baseball season. He got a chance at a storybook ending at the jammed Tokyo Dome when he came up with two outs, a runner on second base and a tie score in the eighth inning, but grounded out.

Ichiro drew a huge ovation from fans and teammates when he was pulled from right field in the bottom of the eighth. The buzz from the sellout crowd of 45,000 diminished after his exit.

"I have achieved so many of my dreams in baseball, both in my career in Japan and, since 2001, in Major League Baseball," Ichiro said in a statement after the game. "I am honored to end my big league career where it started, with Seattle, and think it is fitting that my last games as a professional were played in my home country of Japan."

Domingo Santana, who hit a grand slam in Seattle's 9-7 win in the opener Wednesday, beat out a double-play relay with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run in the 12th.

Ryon Healy and Mitch Haniger homered for the Mariners, off to their first 2-0 start since opening 3-0 in 2014.

Khris Davis hit a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded in the Oakland seventh to make it 4-all. Davis led the majors with 48 home runs last year and homered Wednesday. Davis struck out with the bases loaded to end the 11th.

Dee Gordon singled off losing pitcher Ryan Buchter to begin the Seattle 12th. He later scored on Santana's one-out grounder when A's shortstop Marcus Semien and second baseman Jurickson Profar were slow on the turn.

Zac Rosscup got the win and Hunter Strickland closed for his second save.

Ichiro was all smiles as he greeted his teammates after the final out.

The 10-time All-Star, whose pro career began in his homeland in 1992 when he was 18, took his spot in right field to begin the bottom of the eighth. He was then pulled to one more ovation, punctuating his walk with waves, tips of the hat and hugs as cameras flashed all around the park.

Ichiro's teammates met him outside the dugout for a proper send-off in a three-minute tribute. Yusei Kikuchi, who pitched into the fifth inning of his major league debut, bowed to Ichiro — the Mariners rookie was tearing up as he buried his head into Ichiro's shoulder.

A 10-time All-Star in the majors, Ichiro got 3,089 hits over a 19-year career in the big leagues after getting 1,278 while starring for nine seasons in Japan. His combined total of 4,367 is a professional record. He went 0 for 1 with a walk in Wednesday's opener.

Kikuchi became the first Japanese-born player to make his major league debut in Japan. Showing a firm fastball and sharp slider, the 27-year-old lefty gave up four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

In a fitting scene — a passing of the torch, possibly — Ichiro caught a flyball to end the fourth inning and Kikuchi waited for him outside the dugout for a fist bump. Kikuchi could be the next big star from Japan, having signed a contact in January that could be worth $109 million over seven years.

Kikuchi, who went to the same high school as Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, made his second pro start at the Tokyo Dome. He won with Seibu last June. Hiding the ball in his delivery, he often kept Oakland batters off-balance while striking out three and walking one.

Semien hit an RBI single on Kikuchi's 91st and final pitch, making it 3-1. Roenis Elias relieved and got Matt Chapman to hit a comebacker, but first baseman Jay Bruce dropped the throw, allowing a run to score.

A's starter Marco Estrada allowed three runs in five innings. The 35-year-old righty made his Oakland debut after going 7-14 with a career-worst 5.64 ERA last season for Toronto while hampered by hip and back problems.

Mariners: 1B Daniel Vogelbach didn't start, a day after being hit in the left elbow by a pitch.

Athletics: Top A's pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo will be shut down for four to six weeks because of a strained left shoulder. The 21-year-old was in the mix for a rotation spot.

Mariners: Back to spring training for the M's. For the players who didn't make the trip to Japan, there are exhibition games Thursday night in Arizona against the split-squad Reds and Friday night with the split-squad Angels. Seattle opens the regular season at home March 28 against the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Athletics: The A's get a couple days off before resuming exhibition play Sunday at the Coliseum vs. San Francisco. Oakland begins the regular season March 28 at home against Mike Trout and the Angels.</s>TOKYO -- Ichiro Suzuki has left the game.

The 45-year-old Seattle Mariners star announced his retirement Thursday night, shortly after waving goodbye at the Tokyo Dome during a 5-4 win over Oakland in 12 innings. Ichiro went 0-for-4 and was pulled from right field in the eighth, saluting his adoring fans in the packed crowd. He drew hugs -- some of them tearful -- from teammates in a three-minute walk that signaled to all his great career had ended.

Ichiro Suzuki tips his cap after being removed from the game during the eighth inning against the Athletics at the Tokyo Dome. Ichiro announced his retirement after the game. Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports

The outfielder said in a statement after the game that he had "achieved so many of my dreams in baseball, both in my career in Japan and, since 2001, in Major League Baseball."

He added that he was "honored to end my big league career where it started, with Seattle, and think it is fitting that my last games as a professional were played in my home country of Japan."

Ichiro was a 10-time All-Star in the majors. He had 3,089 hits over a 19-year career in the big leagues after having 1,278 while starring in Japan. His combined total of 4,367 is a professional record.

After the Mariners took the field in the bottom of the eighth, all the players except Suzuki left for the dugout. Ichiro then waved to the crowd before leaving right field for defensive replacement Braden Bishop, who was making his major league debut. Ichiro received a standing ovation from the crowd and hugs from his Seattle teammates.

おめでとう, Ichiro.



It was an honor and a pleasure. 🙏 #MLB開幕戦 pic.twitter.com/FEwgAy1nLE — New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 21, 2019

Ichiro struck out once. In his final at-bat, he grounded out to shortstop.

After the game, Ichiro received more handshakes and hugs from teammates.

Many expected Ichiro to retire after the Japan series or when the Mariners returned home for two spring training games with the San Diego Padres before the regular season resumes against the Boston Red Sox.

Ichiro Suzuki's return to Japan When Ichiro played Wednesday, the 45-year-old entered his 19th MLB season after first playing nine seasons with the Orix BlueWave in the Japanese leagues.

Career line: .311/.355/.402, 509 stolen bases (tied for 35th all time), 117 home runs, 59.3 WAR

Hits: 3,089 in MLB (23rd all time), 1,278 in Japan; his combined total of 4,367 is a world professional record

MLB awards: 2001 AL MVP and Rookie of the Year; 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner

MLB debut: April 2, 2001

Leading current Japanese stars' ages when Ichiro debuted: Yu Darvish 14, Masahiro Tanaka 12, Yusei Kikuchi 9, Shohei Ohtani 6

Japanese fans had been hoping it would not be the end of his career, but they knew it was likely. In Japan, many had thought his 2012 appearance with Seattle, when he had four hits in a game against Oakland, would be the last time they saw him play.

"Seven years ago, it appeared he had played for the last time in Japan," Fumihiro Fujisawa, head of the Japanese Association of Baseball Research, told The Associated Press. "I don't think anybody believed he would be active now."</s>Ichiro Suzuki just played the final game of his Major League Baseball career. The Seattle Mariners played the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, with Ichiro taking his familiar spot in right field.

He would go 0-for-4 from the plate, but the bigger story was that he was about to retire in front of his home country.

The Japan series between the Mariners and Athletics gave the team a shot to allow Ichiro two final games in front of his fans in Japan. The Tokyo Dome was packed for the two games, with many fans hoping to see one last hit from the future Hall of Fame inductee.

While that didn’t happen, he still got to take the big stage, one last time.

Entering the 2019 MLB season, Ichiro Suzuki had a .311 career batting average. That included 3,089 hits, 509 stolen bases, 10-straight seasons of at least 200 hits, and a Major League record of 262 hits in the 2004 season.

Ichiro won a Rookie of the Year Award, was named the 2001 American League Most Valuable Player. He also won three Silver Slugger Awards and 10-straight Gold Glove Awards.

His stats will have Ichiro likely becoming a first-ballot inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s just a matter of time until Mariners fans get to see another great player enter Cooperstown wearing a jersey for the team.

Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez already have a spot there, as does former Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson (in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform).

The Mariners organization made Ichiro’s exit really classy, allowing him to take the field in the two-game Japan series. In addition to the emotional response from the fans in attendance, players like Dee Gordon and Yusei Kikuchi also shed a few tears.

Now, Ichiro will likely take on a different role with the organization, even though his playing days are officially over.</s>A baseball legend has bowed out. Ichiro Suzuki, the famed Japanese outfielder who played most of his MLB career for the Seattle Mariners, announced his retirement Thursday night, shortly after Seattle's 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics. Suzuki, 45, played his final game Thursday at the Tokyo Dome, where he began his Hall of Fame-bound professional baseball career 27 years ago as a member of the Orix BlueWave for Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.

"I have achieved so many of my dreams in baseball," Ichiro said in a statement released by the team, CBS Sports reports. "I am honored to end my big league career where it started, with Seattle, and think it is fitting that my last games as a professional were played in my home country of Japan."

He added, "I want to thank not only the Mariners, but the Yankees and Marlins, for the opportunity to play in MLB, and I want to thank the fans in both the U.S. and Japan for all the support they have always given me."

Suzuki is a living legend, considered one of the greatest baseball players to ever don a uniform — a 10-time All Star in the majors, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, and a 3-time Silver Slugger. He won the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year and American League Most Valuable Player awards. Suzuki had 3,089 hits over his MLB career, and is the world leader in professional baseball hits, as his 4,367 combined hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball exceed Pete Rose's 4,256 career hits in the MLB.

Suzuki's 19-year MLB career included 12 seasons with the Mariners, three seasons as a New York Yankee, and three seasons with the Miami Marlins. All told, he played 2,651 games, where he dazzled fans with his famous pre-game stretching routine, his cannon of a throwing arm, and his uncanny ability to get on base.</s>Ichiro Suzuki has announced his retirement from baseball after helping the Seattle Mariners' to a 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo.

Word of the impending announcement had already leaked out prior to Thursday's match, and emotions ran wild as the 45-year-old confirmed the news following Seattle's win in 12 innings at the Tokyo Dome.

In what would prove to be his final at-bat, Ichiro made everyone hold their breath as he hustled down the line after a soft grounder to shortstop. He did not beat the throw, however, to end the top of the eighth inning.

He trotted to right field for the bottom half of the inning, but Seattle manager Scott Servais stopped the game before a pitch was thrown to pull Ichiro and give the crowd a chance to honour one of the greatest players in history.

"I have achieved so many of my dreams in baseball," Ichiro said in a statement. "Both in my career in Japan and, since 2001, in Major League Baseball.

"I am honoured to end my big league career where it started, with Seattle, and think it is fitting that my last games as a professional were played in my home country of Japan.

"I want to thank not only the Mariners, but the [New York] Yankees and [Miami] Marlins, for the opportunity to play in MLB, and I want to thank the fans in both the U.S. and Japan for all the support they have always given me."

Suzuki — who was the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year for the Mariners in 2001 — has played 14 of his 18-plus MLB seasons in Seattle. He will finish his career with 3,089 hits in MLB and 1,278 in Japan. His combined total of 4,367 is a world professional record.

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced immediately after the game that Ichiro will be eligible for induction in 2025, and he'll have a resume worthy of first-ballot enshrinement as a 10-time MLB All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner.

After he finally left the field for good, Ichiro summed up the night to reporters (via MLB.com): "It doesn't get better than this. There's no more happiness than this here tonight."</s>TOKYO — Ichiro drew all the cheers. Most everyone else on the Seattle Mariners did all the hitting.

A crowd that came to salute Ichiro Suzuki in his homeland saw Domingo Santana deliver the biggest hit at the Tokyo Dome, a grand slam that sent Seattle over the Oakland Athletics 9-7 Wednesday in the Major League Baseball opener.

Batting ninth and knowing he’d get two plate appearances, Ichiro popped up and worked a walk. The 45-year-old star took his spot in right field to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, then was pulled to another huge ovation. He was met with hugs from the Mariners on the diamond.

“The fans in Japan probably aren’t used to the reception I got from my teammates, but it’s not that unusual in the majors,” Ichiro said.

Mariners manager Scott Servais said Ichiro will play in Thursday’s final game of the series, but there is no guarantee he’ll start.

“We certainly want to give him an opportunity to go out and play, but we also want to get some other guys in the game,” Servais said. “I understand everybody wants to see him go all nine innings. We’re trying to do the best thing for the team and Ichiro understands.”

This marked the earliest opening day ever — the summer sport actually started on the last day of winter. No doubt, most fans in North America were sound asleep when Oakland’s Mike Fiers threw the first pitch at 2:36 a.m. Pacific time.

A year after the Cubs’ Ian Happ homered on the very pitch of the season, the ball again was flying.

Tim Beckham also homered as several Seattle newcomers excelled. Khris Davis, who led the majors with 48 home runs last year, Stephen Piscotty and Matt Chapman connected for the A’s.

“It was great. It’s a fun crowd to play in front of. Even the pregame stuff was exciting. I think everybody had a good time,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

A packed crowd of 45,787 was buzzing for its favorite star, sending cheers, chants and camera flashes for Ichiro bounding all around the park. Signs and Ichiro jerseys were plenty, too.

Ichiro became the second-oldest position player to start an opener, only a few months younger than Julio Franco was for Atlanta in 2004. Several of the players in this game weren’t born when Ichiro began his pro career.

Ichiro is getting very near the end of a sensational pro career that began in Japan in 1992 when he was at 18. He stopped playing last May to become a Mariners special assistant — after totaling 4,367 hits on both sides of the ocean — and struggled in spring training this year.

Santana, one of many Mariners new to the lineup, had no trouble at the plate. His opposite-field grand slam capped a five-run burst in the third for a 5-2 lead and Beckham’s drive in the fifth made it 9-4.

Beckham got three hits and three times. Also making a nice debut for Seattle were Jay Bruce, who singled for MLB’s first hit of the season, and Edwin Encarnacion, who scored twice.

The Mariners won for the 12th time in 15 openers. They also beat the A’s in 2012 when MLB last started in Japan.

Seattle starter Marco Gonzales hung in for six innings, allowing three earned runs and seven hits, and got the win. Felix Hernandez had started the last 10 openers for the Mariners.

Hunter Strickland pitched a scoreless ninth for a save in his first game for Seattle. Edwin Diaz, who led the majors with 57 last year, was traded with Robinson Cano to the Mets in the offseason.

Fiers, making his first opening day start at 33, was hit hard for three innings and took the loss.

Mariners: LHP Yusei Kikuchi makes his major league debut in his home country. The 27-year-old lefty starred for Seibu last season, then joined Seattle with a contract that could be worth $109 million over seven years. Kikuchi mixes a hard fastball with a tough, looping curve.</s>Ichiro Suzuki, the most prolific hitter in baseball history and an icon on both sides of the Pacific, retired on Thursday as his fellow Seattle Mariners wept, bowed and hugged him in Tokyo, as 45,000 Japanese fans said 'goodbye.'

Suzuki, 45, made the announcement after playing for the Mariners in the second game of their Major League Baseball opening series in Japan against the Oakland Athletics.

At one point Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon attempted to bow to Ichiro, but the future Hall of Famer waived him off and went in for a hug. Later, both Gordon and Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi could be seen crying during the emotional sendoff.

'Since spring training until now, Ichiro told us that it is a gift for him to play in Tokyo,' Kikuchi finally said through a translator Thursday night. 'But for me, he gave me the greatest gift that I can play with him.'

Suzuki's final at bat could hardly have been more typical: a ground ball out that he very nearly legged into an infield single with a full-bore sprint to first. The Mariners won 5-4 after three extra innings.

Those two games this year mark his 28th season as a top tier professional baseball player in the United States and Japan.

'I have achieved so many of my dreams in baseball, both in my career in Japan and, since 2001, in Major League Baseball,' he said. 'I am honored to end my big league career where it started, with Seattle, and think it is fitting that my last games as a professional were played in my home country of Japan'

Suzuki, who started in right field in both games for the Mariners this week, has 3,089 hits in the U.S. major leagues and 1,278 in Nippon Professional Baseball. Those 4,367 hits are the most ever at the top professional level.

The 10-times All Star also set MLB's record for hits in a single season with 262 in 2004.

He took Japan by storm early in his career, winning seven consecutive batting titles during his time with the Orix BlueWave before moving to the United States in 2001.

Ichiro hit the ground running immediately in the MLB, winning the American League MVP in his first year. At a time of suspiciously beefy sluggers, he was their opposite - wiry, skinny and perpetually in motion, always seeming to be two steps towards first base at the moment the ball left his bat.

He played the majority of career for the Seattle Mariners, and also had late-career stints with the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.</s>The Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics to open the 2019 MLB season. It happened while a lot of people were sleeping, though, as game time in Washington and California was 2:35 a.m. PT.

It led to a lot of jokes on sports shows during the day on Wednesday, with many analysts admitting they didn’t even know the season had begun.

Despite the complaints from analysts and fans, the Mariners and Athletics took the field in the Tokyo Dome.

Marco Gonzales was tabbed as the starting pitcher for the Mariners. He struggled a bit early, giving up two home runs and allowing a number of early hits. Gonzales would settle down, though, going six innings while only allowing three earned runs on the day.

The final score was 9-7 in favor of the visiting Mariners. Domingo Santana, in his first game since being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers, hit a third-inning grand slam to give the Mariners the lead.

The team wouldn’t look back, tacking on three more runs in the fifth inning to make it a 9-4 lead at the time.

Shortstop Tim Beckham also had a nice Mariners debut, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs to his credit. He had a fifth-inning homer that looked really nice off the bat.

While the Mariners just managed seven hits as a team, they also took advantage of six walks issued by Athletics pitchers.

Veteran outfielder Ichiro Suzuki returned to right field for the game. He went 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk and only played four innings of defense.

This was planned, as Scott Servais called a timeout to allow him to leave the field to a standing ovation. Teammates hugged him as he left the field for one of the final times of his career.

Ichiro will play again in Game 2 of the series, but Servais hadn’t yet announced what is role will be for the team. It’s possible that this will be the final time that Ichiro takes the field for the Mariners before he announces his retirement.

The next stop would then be Cooperstown for him.

On March 21, the Japan series will conclude with Yusei Kikuchi on the mound for the Mariners.

The former pitching star in Japan is making his first start for the Mariners, so there will be a lot of eyes on him. Marco Estrada will take the mound for the Athletics, with the start time at 2:35 a.m. PT again.</s>The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics announced their lineups for the first Major League Baseball game of the season, which is being played in Japan.

The game early Wednesday morning at the Toyko Dome will feature former Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki in the Mariners starting lineup.

Suzuki, 45, is batting ninth in a game that will start at 5:30 a.m. EDT

"We're just happy to be along for the ride," A's pitcher Liam Hendriks said. "I can't wait for the opening series when they announce Ichiro and hear that crowd."

The Mariners and A's will play two games in Japan. The rest of MLB teams open on March 28.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Ichiro Suzuki retires from baseball after 28 years following the Seattle Mariners/Oakland Athletics game in the Tokyo Dome.