Ichiro Suzuki's matrix move at home plate

BALTIMORE -- Ichiro Suzuki goes through baseball's most unorthodox stretching routine before every game but it was nothing compared to the contortions he used to score a first-inning run Monday for the Yankees.

Suzuki broke out a gymnastics routine to evade Orioles catcher Matt Wieters and give the Yankees a quick 1-0 lead in Game 2 of their AL Division Series.

The 38-year-old Suzuki was trying to make it home from first on Robinson Cano's two-out double into the right field corner. Just like the previous night, though that was with the slower and less agile Russell Martin running the bases, Wieters had the ball before the runner reached home plate.

This time, though, Wieters didn't get the out. He swung his glove hand into the basepath, but Ichiro leaped sideways and toward the back of the plate to evade the tag. But his mission was far from accomplished as he was well past the plate. Wieters dove to cover the back side of the plate and Suzuki dove to get his hand in.

But Suzuki had one more surprise, arching his body at the last second to go over Wieters' outstretched glove and get a hand on the plate.

And for those who don't remember, former Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux made a similar play in 1993 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.