Skip to main content
NationalNews

Japanese MLB Players Hisashi Iwakuma and Ichiro Suzuki Make History

By August 22, 2015No Comments

By P.C. Staff

The Seattle Mariner’s Hisashi Iwakuma was named the American League Player of the Week on Aug. 17 after he threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 12 in a 3-0 victory.

Iwakuma’s performance was the club’s fifth no-hitter (fourth by a single pitcher). He joins other Mariners pitchers Randy Johnson, Chris Bosio and Felix Hernandez.

Iwakuma also became the second Japanese-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter, joining Hideo Nomo, who has two no-hitters (1996 with the Dodgers and 2001 with the Boston Red Sox).

And Ichiro Suzuki of the Miami Marlins recorded his 4,192nd career hit on Aug. 15, surpassing Ty Cobb in career hits with a first-inning single off the St. Louis Cardinals’ John Lackey.

Suzuki’s total includes his totals from professional baseball in Japan and Major League Baseball. He added his 4,193rd hit later that same game.

Ichiro now holds the second-most hits of all time, second only to Pete Rose, with 4,256 hits. Suzuki earned 1,278 hits in Japan and has since added 2,914 hits since making his MLB career debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.