A-Rod homers for 3,000th hit in Yankees’ win
NEW YORK – Alex Rodriguez homered for his 3,000th career hit and smiled all the way around the bases Friday night, the highlight so far in what’s become a resurgent season for the formerly disgraced slugger.
The New York Yankees star wasted no time, connecting in the first inning on a first-pitch, 95 mph fastball from Detroit ace Justin Verlander.
Out of baseball last year while serving a drug suspension, Rodriguez became the 29th player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits. He was the first to do it since Yankees great Derek Jeter homered from the very same batter’s box in 2011.
The home run helped lift New York to a 7-2 victory over Detroit.
With the crowd at Yankee Stadium standing in anticipation, Rodriguez sent a high drive to right field. He held onto the bat as he took a few steps toward first base, and outfielder J.D. Martinez bumped into the wall as he backed up.
Fans roared as the ball sailed a half-dozen rows into the seats.
Retrieving the souvenir ball might be harder for Rodriguez than hitting it. In the late innings, Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said a “professional home run catcher” wound up with the prize and “he is not intending to give it to us.”
Rodriguez pointed to the crowd a couple of times and blew a kiss to someone behind the backstop after crossing the plate. He was greeted by Mark Teixeira and other teammates between the plate and the dugout, and got a big hug from manager Joe Girardi.
The only other players to hit a homer for No. 3,000 were Jeter and Wade Boggs. The three-time AL MVP launched his 13th homer of the season and has enjoyed a productive year as a designated hitter after returning from his suspension.
Rodriguez hit his 667th career home run after beginning the day with a .299 lifetime average in 21 seasons. He joined Hank Aaron and Mays as the only players with 600 homers and 3,000 hits.
Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius also homered as the Yankees won their third in a row. Detroit has lost four of six.
Cincinnati 5, Miami 0: Mike Leake allowed only two singles through seven innings Friday night, and Marlon Byrd homered in his return from a broken wrist, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-0 victory over the Miami Marlins.
The Reds have won 10 of their last 13 against the Marlins. Miami has been held to four runs or less in each of their last 11 games against Cincinnati.
Leake (4-4) has a history of success against the Marlins, going 4-1 in five career starts. He retired the first 13 batters Friday before giving up two walks. Christian Yelich singled through the hole at shortstop with two outs in the sixth for Miami’s first hit.
Marcell Ozuna singled in the seventh off Leake, who walked three, hit a batter and threw 92 pitches. Pedro Villarreal pitched the ninth, completing a four-hitter.
Atlanta 2, N.Y. Mets 1: Matt Wisler allowed only one run in eight innings in his major league debut to outpitch Jacob deGrom, and Jace Peterson hit a two-run double in the eighth to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 win over the New York Mets Friday night.
Wisler (1-0) allowed one run and six hits and no walks in eight innings. The NL East-leading Mets’ only run off Wisler came on Michael Cuddyer’s run-scoring single in the sixth.
Wisler was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game. The 22-year-old right-hander was San Diego’s top prospect before coming to the Braves as a big part of the April 5 trade that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Padres.
Until the eighth inning, deGrom (7-5) was dominant on his 27th birthday. He allowed two runs and four hits, including two in the eighth.