Ichiro Suzuki sets Mariners record by extending hitting streak to 26 games

Suzuki’s hitting streak at club-record 26 games

SEATTLE — Ichiro Suzuki set a Mariners record by hitting safely in his 26th consecutive game on Tuesday night.

The eight-time All-Star chopped the third pitch of the game from Baltimore Orioles rookie David Hernandez to the right of shortstop Cesar Izturis. Izturis’ rushed throw pulled first baseman Ty Wigginton off the bag, but Suzuki had already beaten the toss.

Some in the crowd of 17,978 gave him a standing ovation as his record was announced. The 35-year-old remained stoic while standing on first base.

“I got this far, so I wanted to achieve it,” he said through an interpreter after Seattle beat Baltimore 8-2. “I also wished I would have asked my wife Yumiko and my dog to come to the game.

“Then again, if I didn’t invite them, that probably shows you how much the record meant to me.”

He then whipped out a green fan with his dog Ikkyu’s likeness on both sides.

This is his seventh hitting streak of at least 20 games since the five-time major league hits leader arrived in Seattle for the 2001 season. That ties him with George Sisler for the fourth most 20-plus game hitting streaks. Willie Keeler, Ty Cobb and Pete Rose had eight.

Asked what he thought of still being less than halfway to Joe DiMaggio’s major league record hitting streak of 56 consecutive games set in 1941, Suzuki said, “It’s true when they say it’s the hardest record to break.”

His hit was his major league-leading 23rd infield single, and 15th in his last 24 games. He leads the major leagues by far in that category.

He is batting .400 (46 for 115) during the streak, and he has reached base in 33 consecutive games. That, too, is the longest such streak in the AL this season.

Manager Don Wakamatsu wasn’t overly wowed with Suzuki’s new team record.

“That’s what he does,” Wakamatsu said. “He’s that good.”