Ichiro Suzuki Becomes 30th to Pass 3K Hits

Ichiro Suzuki defined his career with speed and sharp hits. It was only fitting he flashed both in his historic moment. Suzuki lined a triple off the wall for his 3,000th career hit in the major leagues, becoming the 30th player to reach the milestone as the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7 Sunday, the AP reports. The 42-year-old Suzuki got his big hit in the seventh inning. He became the first player born in Japan to reach 3,000, and joined Paul Molitor, his former hitting coach in Seattle, as the only ones to hit the mark with a triple.

"I wanted to see it go over the fence, but after I heard that Paul Molitor was the other person to do it I was glad it didn't go over," Suzuki said after sharing champagne with his teammates in the clubhouse after the win. "I have a special relationship with him and having something like this, that is the same thing he accomplished, makes it more special." Suzuki is in his 16th season in the majors. He got 1,278 hits while playing nine years in Japan before becoming the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP with Seattle in 2001. At 42 years, 290 days he is the second-oldest player by three days over Ricky Henderson to reach the milestone. Only Cap Anson, who was 45 when he got his 3,000th hit in 1897, was older. (More Ichiro Suzuki stories.)