Kurt bests Ichiro in battle of the Suzukis on Nichi Bei Foundation Day with the A’s

OAKLAND — The first inning set the tone for the Sept. 6 tilt between AL West rivals Oakland and Seattle. In the top half, Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki completed an inning-ending double play by throwing out Mariners speedster Ichiro Suzuki on an attempt to steal second. In the bottom half, the home team put up a pair of runs — one on an RBI ground out from Kurt — and never looked back, cruising to a 6-2 Labor Day victory.

The game played out in front of more than 600 fans affiliated with the Nichi Bei Foundation. Guests and volunteers in attendance for Nichi Bei Foundation Day with the A’s filled field level and upper deck seats along the right field foul line, in prime viewing territory of Seattle’s superstar. Ichiro did not disappoint, flashing a little leather on Steven Tolleson’s line drive to rob the Oakland third baseman and end the eighth inning.

In the batter’s box, Ichiro went 1-for-4 with a single, dropping his team-leading average from .313 to .312.

Oakland’s Suzuki went hitless in four plate appearances, drawing a walk and grounding out three times. The Maui native and CSU Fullerton product finished the game batting .246 for the season, 20 points below his career average.

With the win, the A’s moved their record to 68-69, seven games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers. The Mariners dropped to 54-84.