NEW YORK -- Ichiro Suzuki slashed a single the opposite way with his unique swing for the 4,000th hit of a career split between

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NEW YORK -- Ichiro Suzuki slashed a single the opposite way with his unique swing for the 4,000th hit of a career split between Japan and the major leagues. Cheap Minnesota Twins Jerseys . The 39-year-old Suzuki hit a liner off Torontos R.A. Dickey that bounced just beyond diving third baseman Brett Lawrie in the first inning Wednesday night for the milestone hit. "Its unbelievable, 4,000 hits," Alfonso Soriano said after hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer that led New York to a 4-2 victory over the Blue Jays. "To get 4,000 hits, you have to be a great hitter." How great? Pete Rose with 4,256 hits and Ty Cobb with 4,191 are the only two players that have reached the number solely in the major leagues. Suzuki broke a tie with Lou Gehrig when he got his 2,722nd major league hit in his 13th season. The speedy outfielder amassed 1,278 hits in nine seasons with Orix of Japans Pacific League. Suzukis teammates streamed out of the dugout and surrounded him at first base, Curtis Granderson giving him the first hug. A grinning Suzuki then faced the cheering fans and bowed, doffing his helmet. He bowed several more times, facing the Toronto dugout with the last one. "It was supposed to be a number that was special to me but what happened tonight I wasnt expecting," Suzuki said. "When my teammates came out to first base it was very special, and to see the fans. I wasnt expecting so much joy and happiness from them and thats what made it very special tonight." When he went to his position in right field for the second inning, Suzuki tipped his cap to the fans who greeted him with a standing ovation. "You never want to be the guy that gives up the milestone," Dickey said. "That being said, what an incredible achievement. The manner that hes done it is equally impressive. Just the longevity, the endurance, the durability. Having played with him in Seattle, it was a real treat to play with him and it couldnt have happened to a more professional hitter." Ken Griffey Jr., a former teammate with the Seattle Mariners, congratulated Suzuki with a message shown on the video board at Yankee Stadium. The Mariners tweeted a statement: "Ichiros historic milestone is testament to his position as one of the greatest hitters in the game of baseball." Suzukis postgame news conference with the Japanese media lasted a whopping 47 minutes. According to STATS, Suzuki has the most hits through the first 13 seasons of a big league career. Paul Waner is second. He had 2,648 for Pittsburgh from 1926-38. Even though the approach to the unprecedented milestone didnt generate a lot of buzz in the United States because it doesnt count in the record books, players have great respect for Suzukis accomplishment. "Thats a lot of hits, man," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said last week. "Its pretty impressive. I dont care if its 4,000 in Little League. It shows how consistent hes been throughout his career. It makes you look at how many hits hes got in a short amount of time. Thats difficult to do, so Ichi has been as consistent as anyone." To Suzuki, though, the rarefied number means one thing. "Not necessarily the 4,000, just the fact that youre getting a hit in the game," he said through an interpreter after getting three hits in the opener of a doubleheader Tuesday to leave him at 3,999. "If you dont produce youre not going to play in games. Me producing in games is whats good for me." He has been producing since he was an 18-year-old rookie with the Blue Wave. A career .353 hitter in Japan, Suzuki became the first Japanese-born non-pitcher to sign with a major league team. He smoothly made the move from Orix to the Mariners in 2001 when he was 27. He was selected AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in his first season when he batted .350, had 242 hits and stole 56 bases. The slender 10-time All-Star seemingly could place the ball wherever he wanted with a slashing swing that makes him look more like an epee-wielding fencer than a professional baseball player. Suzuki had at least 206 hits in each of his first 10 years in the majors, peaking in 2004 when he set the record for hits in a season with 262, topping George Sislers mark of 257 established in 1920. His hit Wednesday night was the 2,209th single of his career. "Its an amazing feat," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Its a testament to how hard hes worked, how long hes been in the game, how he stays healthy, how he goes about his business." Uniquely fashionable, Suzuki often wears skinny jeans cuffed at the bottom to show off a rainbow of shoes and socks. Sporting clothes by his favourite designer, Thom Browne, he looks more like a 20-something than a greying star. Despite his age, Suzuki should have a good shot at the revered major league mark of 3,000 hits, one that doesnt come with debates over the merits of the achievement. He is signed for one more year with New York at $6.5 million, and the 10-time Gold Glove winner is still is an outstanding outfielder. But hes not thinking about that mark. "I dont make goals that are so far away," Suzuki said. "What I do is what I can every day and really build off that and see where that takes me." After a down season in 2011 in which he hit a career-low .272 for a Seattle team that lost 95 games, Suzuki was traded to New York in July 2012. Accused of isolating himself in the young Mariners clubhouse, Suzuki easily fit into the star-studded Yankees room and hit .322 the rest of the season. He is batting .275 with New York this year, and hes really enjoying his time with the team. His treatment Wednesday reinforced that. "What I realized today is that the Yankees are so used to things like this happening that theyre so good at ceremonies like this," Suzuki said. Belgium #4 Defour Red Home Long Sleeves Soccer Country Jersey . Or maybe he already did. Clark hit his first homer, Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 Wednesday night. Warriors #30 Stephen Curry Blue Throwback The City Stitched NBA Jersey . A better question yet may be this: How many times has the same player been involved in both? Morneau hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and helped the Colorado Rockies turn the third triple play in team history as they beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 on Sunday. http://www.wholesalenfljerseysauthenticus.com/Warriors-40-harrison-barnes-gold-throwback-the-city-stitched-nba-jersey-84-zr.html . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win.BOSTON -- Rajon Rondo had season highs with 19 points and 10 assists and the Boston Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak with a 96-89 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Jared Sullinger scored seven of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics, who let a 12-point lead slip to one in the final period before pulling away at the end. Brandon Bass had 19 points and nine rebounds and Avery Bradley scored 17 in his return after missing five games with a sprained ankle. Jeff Green was the only Boston starter not to score in double figures as the Celtics won for the third time in four games against the Magic, who have lost four of five. Arron Afflalo had 18 points and Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, who lost their 11th straight road game. Glen Davis had 15 points, Tobias Harris scored 13 and Victor Oladipo had 12 points as all five Orlando starters scored in double figures. The only game on the NBA schedule Sunday featured two of the leagues bottom teams. Boston entered Sunday winless in six games since Rondos return last month after missing nearly a year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. His season highs were 13 points and eight assists bbefore going 9 of 10 from the floor Sunday and adding six rebounds. NFL Jerseys Wholesale. Orlando, which has just three road wins this season, rallied after making a push in the fourth quarter. The Magic went without a field goal in the fourth quarter until Maurice Harkless layup cut Bostons lead to 75-68 with 9:01 left to play. ETwaun Moore and Davis added layups during an 10-2 run that pulled the Magic within 77-76 on a pair of free throws by Kyle OQuinn with 6:11 left to play. It was as close as Orlando would get. Rondo answered with hook shot for the Celtics and Bradley followed with a field goal and two foul shots as Boston started to pull away. The Celtics sealed it with an 8-2 run in the final two minutes. NOTES: Rondo was 5 for 6 in the first half while scoring 13. ... The Celtics scored 27 in each of the first two periods and led 54-45 at halftime. ... Boston G Avery Bradley returned after missing five games with a sprained right ankle. ... Orlando G Jameer Nelson did not travel with the Magic because of a sore left knee. ... Boston was 0-6 in games with Rondo in the lineup since returning from a torn ACL. ... Orlando last won on the road Dec. 16, beating Chicago 83-82. ... The Magics 3-22 road record is the worst in the NBA. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '