OAKLAND, Calif. — Ichiro Suzuki has lined the second pitch of Seattle's game at Oakland down the right-field line for a double and his 2,000th career hit.

Even before the ball fell untouched Sunday, fans stood to cheer the Japanese baseball icon.

Suzuki, who had 1,278 hits in Japan, became the second fastest to 2,000 hits, recording it in 1,402 major league games with the Mariners. Al Simmons did it in 1,390 games.

Suzuki, the 259th player to reach the milestone, needs five hits for his ninth consecutive 200-hit season, which would break the record he currently shares with Willie Keeler for consecutive years with as many hits.