Suzuki Upstages Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez missed his chance to be a hero in his first game against his former team, the Seattle Mariners.

Instead, Ichiro Suzuki took that role by hitting his first home run in the major leagues.

“I don’t want to upstage Alex because he is such a wonderful player,” Suzuki said.

That’s what the seven-time Japanese batting champion did when he hit a game-winning two-run homer in the 10th inning Friday night to give the Mariners a 9-7 victory at Arlington, Texas.

Suzuki was four for six, while Rodriguez struck out for the second time in the ninth inning when the score was tied at 7-7.

Rodriguez finished one for four with a single, a walk and two runs scored, two strikeouts and a fly out. In his first five games since signing a record $252 million, 10-year contract, he is five for 20 (.250) with seven strikeouts and no runs batted in.

Suzuki homered off Jeff Zimmerman (0-1) with one out in the 10th after Tom Lampkin’s leadoff walk.

“The first thing that went through my mind was I guess [Kazuhiro] Sasaki is coming in and the game’s over,” Suzuki said.

Sasaki, the Mariners’ other Japanese player, pitched a perfect bottom of the 10th for his second save.

Arthur Rhodes (2-0), the fifth Seattle pitcher, pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings. The biggest out was getting Rodriguez.

“It was a good battle. It got to 1-2 and he made a good pitch, borderline up and in and I swung right under it,” Rodriguez said of the ninth-inning confrontation with Rhodes.

“It was exciting seeing a lot of my friends again, but it was a little weird going up against them. I’m glad it’s over, glad it’s done.”

Texas overcame a six-run deficit to tie the score at 7-7, but failed to score in the ninth when Rodriguez struck out and Rafael Palmeiro flied out.