AP News
(2010-08-04 22:49:21)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th career home run on Wednesday, becoming just the seventh player in Major League Baseball to achieve the feat.
The New York Yankees third baseman reached the milestone when he sent a two-run home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum over the center field wall in the first inning at Yankee Stadium.
Rodriguez, who had been stuck at 599 home runs since July 22, raised a hand slightly as he rounded first base and was then congratulated by team mates. Moments later he stepped out of the Yankees dugout to tip his hat for the applauding crowd.
It was just the 17th home run this season for Rodriguez and came exactly three years to the day after his 500th home run, but was enough for him to join an exclusive club of baseball's greatest batters.
At 35, Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 600. The previous record was held by Babe Ruth, who was more than a year older but played in fewer games.
If Rodriguez can continue piling up the home runs, he could finish at the top of the home run list, currently occupied by Barry Bonds with 762.
Hank Aaron is second with 755 followed by Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr (630) and Sammy Sosa (609).
Rodriguez is the only active player to have hit 600 home runs and still has seven years remaining on his $275 million 10-year contract with the Yankees.
Wednesday's homer was his 255th since he joined the Yankees in 2004 after starting his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1994 and later moving on to the Texas Rangers as a free agent.
He had hit his 599th home run almost two weeks ago but needed 51 trips to the plate to get his 600th, a sweetly struck shot that landed in Monument Park and evaded the packed crowd that had hoped to collect one of the specially marked balls that were given to the pitchers every time he batted.
(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)
