Twins slugger Jim Thome homered in his first two at-bats Saturday to pass Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew for 10th place on baseball's all-time home run list with 574.
Thome belted a 1-0 pitch from Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis to the opposite field in the second inning, the ball reaching the seats in left field for his ninth home run of the season.
"I talked to Jim quite a bit when I was in spring training," Killebrew said from Arizona after Thome's first homer. "I told him, 'Don't feel bad if you pass me up, because I passed up a lot of guys in my career.'"
Thome did surpass Killebrew in the fourth frame, with a home run that landed in the bullpen in left-center field.
The team recognized the feat by playing a previously recorded congratulatory message from Killebrew, one of the best-loved players in Twins history.
"I'm glad he was able to hit it in a Twins uniform," Killebrew said. "I only wish I could have been there to see it."
Next on the career list is Mark McGwire with 583.
McGwire, the current Cardinals hitting coach, finally admitted in the offseason to using steroids during his career.
Thome signed a one-year deal with the Twins to chase the World Series title that has eluded him in 17 years in the major leagues.
He has 10 home runs and 24 RBIs in 121 at-bats.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
