Ichiro Suzuki tops Rod Carew for most hits by a foreign-born player

— -- Ichiro Suzuki's climb up the hits list has gone international.

With a second-inning single in the Miami Marlins' 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, Suzuki had his 3,053rd hit in the majors, which tied Rod Carew for 24th on the career hits list.

Suzuki's eighth-inning single, hit No. 3,054, passed Carew and made him the major's all-time hits leader for foreign-born players. Carew is from Panama.

"Obviously, I didn't see him in his prime, Rod Carew," Ichiro said through his interpreter, Allen Turner. "A lot of people have told me the similarities, that he used to hit like Ichiro. The similarities are another point that's special. I've heard he was a similar player like I am."

Suzuki noted that Carew, who went underwent a heart and kidney transplant last December, wrote him a letter when Suzuki passed the 3,000-hit mark.

Next up on the career hits list at No. 23 is Rickey Henderson with 3,055.

Suzuki noted one difference between him and Henderson, the all-time leader in stolen bases.

"I can't lift the base up like Rickey," Ichiro said jokingly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.