Tony Overman/The Olympian
Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki sprints safely to second base in front of a ground ball Monday. Last year's American League batting champion went 3-for-5 in the Mariners' loss.

Ichiro, Cameron sizzle; other M's fizzle

ELLIOTT SMITH, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Tuesday, April 2, 2002

SEATTLE -- Two of the Seattle Mariners' most exciting players picked right up where they left off Monday.

Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Cameron, two of Seattle's brightest stars in 2001, started the 2002 season strongly in the 6-5 loss to Chicago.

The pair combined for five of the Mariners' eight hits on the afternoon and their presence on the basepaths caused problems for the White Sox pitchers.

"It was a totally different atmosphere with the crowd," Ichiro said after his 3-for-5 performance. "Now I feel like I've started the season."

Ichiro led off the game with a sharp single and then added two more hits in the eighth and ninth innings as the Mariners attempted to rally from a five-run hole. He scored in the eighth, but was left stranded at third base in the ninth.

"Of course I wanted to win," he said.

After a remarkable season, Ichiro has his sights set on improvement -- sort of.

"I hope I can be better, but I don't know what I can do to be better," he said.

Cameron lined a home run to left off Chicago starter Mark Buehrle in the second inning. He followed that with a seventh-inning single and an eighth-inning walk against his former team.

"I always try to do as much damage as I can against them," Cameron said of the White Sox.

Despite his good day, it was a missed opportunity that gnawed at him after the game.

With the bases loaded in the ninth, Cameron got a pitch to hit, but flied out weakly to right to end the game.

"We had a great opportunity," he said. "I had a great pitch to hit, but I got under it and popped it up. But we'll be back."

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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