Ichiro, Yankees top Mariners

1:03 AM, Jul 24, 2012   |    comments
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Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Wearing the unfamiliar No. 31, Ichiro Suzuki strode to the plate for his first Yankee at-bat in the third to a standing ovation and a charade of cheers from the place he called home for the past 11- plus years.

Suzuki returned the favor to the Seattle faithful with a traditional bow of respect to both sides of the stadium and then fittingly reached out and slapped a solid single to center.

The 38-year-old went 1-for-4 in his Yankees debut, while Hiroki Kuroda (10-7) spun seven innings of one-run ball as New York snapped its season-high four- game losing streak with a 4-1 triumph over the Seattle Mariners in the opener of a three-game set.

The Yankees acquired Suzuki, who is in the final year of his contract, from the Mariners earlier Monday in exchange for minor league pitchers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar and cash.

Kuroda fanned nine, surrendered three hits and retired the last 13 batters he faced to win his career-high tying fourth straight decision.

Kevin Millwood (3-8) was charged with three runs on nine hits and two walks in seven innings for Seattle, which had won five of its last seven.

The Sports Network