MLB

Ichiro hits first home run with Yankees

Ichiro Suzuki has gotten among the loudest ovations when his name is announced before games in The Bronx and the he still hears his name chanted at various times when he’s at the plate and in right field.

Until his seventh-inning home run in Monday night’s 5-4 loss to the Orioles, Ichiro hadn’t really given the Yankees much of anything since arriving in last week’s trade with the Mariners.

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The home run was the 100th of Ichiro’s major-league career and first as a Yankee.

“I’ve been playing 11 ½ years [in the majors], so 100 home runs, not that I’m embarrassed, but it’s not a big deal,” Ichiro said through a translator, before acknowledging that his first with his new team did mean something.

“That was very special,” Ichiro said. “To go out there and have the fans react was very special.”

The fans could have been excused if their enthusiasm waned.

With six hits in 23 at-bats, just one double and no RBIs in his first six games in Pinstripes prior to Monday, the future Hall of Famer looked like the rapidly fading outfielder he was in Seattle and not the rejuvenated veteran the Yankees hoped they would see when he got into a pennant race.

He followed the solo homer by grounding into a fielder’s choice with the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth.

Despite the fact that not being a key part of the offense would have been unheard for Ichiro with the Mariners, he insisted it hasn’t been a problem since joining the Yankees.

“No problem whatsoever,” Ichiro said before going 1-for-4. “It doesn’t affect what I do.”

Which hasn’t been much.

And he refused to divulge if he felt comfortable at the plate.

“Even if I feel good, or don’t feel good, I’m not going to say that,” Ichiro said as he went through his customary elaborate stretches prior to the game. “I don’t feel the need to let anyone know.”

The results speak for themselves, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn’t have any regrets about the move.

“I’m glad we got him,” Cashman said. “A lot of stuff has happened since we got him, with [Nick] Swisher being down [and Ichiro] in right field. It feels like he’s been here. It’s been an easy transition. He’s happy to be here.”

Manager Joe Girardi indicated on Monday Swisher might remain at DH for a few more days to make sure he doesn’t aggravate his hip flexor injury, meaning Ichiro’s move to left field could be put off a bit longer.

He doesn’t anticipate a problem when he heads to left to make room for Swisher in the outfield, since he’s been taking fly balls in left every day.

“That’s what I’m doing now,” Ichiro said. “I know practice and games are gonna be different, but they’re not asking me to play shortstop. I think I’m gonna be OK.”

The Yankees would like more than that, even if they are paying $2.5 million for him and didn’t give up much to get him.

And he’s still hitting a meager .163 with runners in scoring position.

“In RBI situations, it’s a little different feeling up there,” Ichiro said. “The focus is the same to do the job, you’ve just got to keep it simple and do it. I know what I can do.”

But he doesn’t expect to add home-run hitter to his arsenal, even with the short right-field fence.

“There’s a risk in that for me,” Ichiro said of shooting for the inviting porch. “You’re not able to play the way you normally do. Obviously, there’s gonna be times when I’ll try it. I’ll continue to play the game [to put me in the] best position to do well. A lot of guys on this team can hit home runs.”

dan.martin@nypost.com