The Royals loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against Seattle cloesr David Aardsma, but just as Ichiro started the game with heroics, he ended the game with a great catch in foul territory to kill the Royals final chance in a 7-6 loss.
John Buck hit one down the right field line and Ichiro chased it down and slid into the wall down the right-field line while making the catch and avoided the tarp. The game went back and forth through the first six innings. The Royals took a 3-1 lead after two innings, and rallying for a 5-4 lead after five frames.
Down, 5-4, the Mariners scratched out two runs against the Royals’ bullpen in the sixth inning and added another in the seventh. John Bale replaced Luke Hochevar, and allowed two hits around a walk by Ichiro. Bale left with the game tied 5-5. He gave way to Jamey Wright who let in another to give Seattle the 6-5 lead.
The Royals battled back in the bottom of the sixth when Mariner Yuniesky Betancourt pulled the Royals even at 6 with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, but Seattle struck again with another run against Wright in the seventh. Bentancourt went 2-3 on the night and drove in two runs.
Hochevar went five innings allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks. He also allowed a lead off homer to Ichiro on the second pitch of the game. Hochevar also struck out eight.