(CNN) The cheering began well before the Japanese "god" reached home plate.

It was the top of the third inning in the MLB regular-season opener between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome, and Mariners shortstop Tim Beckham reached first base on a single. But the roars from the crowd likely weren't all for him, as an all-time great was on deck.

Ichiro comes out of the game.



Pardon us, we're crying in the club rn. pic.twitter.com/09aKuLlsiQ — Cut4 (@Cut4) March 20, 2019

The applause rolled on, as fans pulled out their phones to capture images of Ichiro Suzuki making his way to the batter's box.

His stat line from Wednesday -- a pop out and a walk in a 9-7 Mariners win -- won't be remembered as much as the fans' adoration of a superstar.

The Mariners, in a tweet, had a single word: "Unforgettable."

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