Former Mariner Ichiro Suzuki pitches -- yes, PITCHES -- for the Marlins (PHOTOS)



PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki hit 88 mph and induced a swing and miss with a breaking pitch during a one-inning relief appearance for the Miami Marlins Sunday in their regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The 10-time outfield Gold Glove Award winner had never pitched in a major league game before entering for the bottom of the eighth inning. He allowed a leadoff double to Odubel Herrera, who later scored on a double to deep right by Darnell Sweeney. After throwing mostly fastballs to the first few hitters, Ichiro mixed in an upper-70s breaking pitch to Freddy Galvis, inducing an awkward whiff with his first one.

Suzuki finished allowing one run on two hits with a ground out and two fly outs.

Suzuki, a 15-year big league veteran, finished this season with 2,935 major league hits and another 1,278 hits in nine professional seasons with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan.

The Marlins lost 7-2.