Ichiro Suzuki retired from Major League Baseball.
The 45-year-old Seattle Mariner star left the Tokyo Dome field in the eighth inning on Thursday, waving goodbye to the crowd and being hugged by teammates in a three-minute walk that signaled to all his great career has ended.
"I have achieved so many of my dreams in baseball, both in my career in Japan, and since 2001, in Major League Baseball," Suzuki said in a statement. "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."
Ichiro has been swarmed over in games in Japan. On Thursday he signed caps, jerseys, photos and balls down the left field line with security guards on megaphones telling people to be careful.
He saluted the crowd before taking his spot in the outfield, and tossed a half-dozen balls to fans behind the third base dugout. In batting practice, fans in that same spot wore shirts saying "Ichiro is Life"and "I believe 3,090."
Ichiro went 0 for 4 in his final game.
He has 3,089 hits since joining the Mariners in 2001, and another 1,278 playing earlier in Japan — baseball's all-time hits leader.
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.
Yusei 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.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: 1B Daniel Vogelbach didn't start, a day after being hit in the left elbow by a pitch.