Page 13 - MIN VOS JUNE 20 2015
P. 13
SPORTS A21
Saturday 20 June 2015
Alex Rodriguez homers for 3,000th hit; 29th player to get it
against Boston’s Sergio ferent view. they dislike him so much at
Valdez. Back then, Rodri- “She can’t stand him,” he Yankee Stadium that they
guez was an 18-year-old said. “When we get home, were giving away these
batting last for the Seattle we’re going to tell her that jerseys.”q
Mariners, a young man
New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez smiles after hitting a home with a big future.
Friday night’s plate umpire,
run for his 3,000th career hit, during the first inning of a baseball Ed Hickox, coincidentally
was the plate umpire for A-
game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 19, 2015, in Rod’s first hit.
“Is that right - 21 years
New York. Associated Press apart?” Hickox said an
hour before the first pitch.
By BEN WALKER guez was greeted by Mark “I was aware he was a
AP Baseball Writer Teixeira and other team- prospect for Seattle when
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex mates between the plate he got the hit, but that’s all
Rodriguez homered for and the dugout, and got a we knew then.”
his 3,000th career hit and big hug from manager Joe For all of his achievements,
smiled all the way around Girardi. A-Rod has been a polariz-
the bases Friday night, the The only other players to hit ing lightning rod in recent
highlight so far in what’s a homer for No. 3,000 were years. While the crowd in
become a resurgent sea- Jeter and Wade Boggs. the Bronx cheered him,
son for the formerly dis- Rodriguez turns 40 next there are many fans who
graced slugger. month. The three-time AL will forever attach an aster-
The New York Yankees star MVP launched his 13th isk to anything Rodriguez
wasted no time, connect- homer of the season and accomplishes.
ing in the first inning on a has enjoyed a productive Such is the baseball world
first-pitch, 95 mph fastball year as a designated hit- in the wake of perfor-
from Detroit ace Justin Ver- ter after sitting out all of mance-enhancing drugs,
lander. last season while serving a where RBIs, ERAs and other
Rodriguez became the drug suspension. huge numbers have been
29th player in major league A-Rod hit his 667th career tainted by PEDs. Bonds,
history to reach 3,000 hits, home run after beginning Roger Clemens and Mark
and the first since Yankees the day with a .299 lifetime McGwire are among the
great Derek Jeter hom- average in 21 seasons. He many with Cooperstown-
ered from the very same joined Hank Aaron and Wil- caliber credentials who
batter’s box in 2011. lie Mays as the only players haven’t come close to
With the crowd at Yankee with 600 homers and 3,000 being elected to the Hall
Stadium standing in an- hits. of Fame because of drug
ticipation, Rodriguez sent Earlier this year, he passed scandals.
a high drive to right field. Mays for fourth place on High school student Claire
He held onto the bat as he the all-time homer list and Campo, from Mission Viejo,
took a few steps toward eclipsed Barry Bonds for California, bought a $135
first base, and right fielder second on the official RBIs Rodriguez jersey in the sou-
J.D. Martinez bumped into chart. venir store an hour before
the wall as he backed up. This hit was quite different the game.
The crowd roared as the from his first one - a four- “I love Alex Rodriguez,”
ball sailed a half-dozen hop, infield single on July she said. “People need to
rows into the seats. Rodri- 9, 1994, at Fenway Park get off his case. He’s done
everything you could ask
for on the field. What he’s
done off the field, he apol-
ogized and paid the price.
What more do you want?”
Her grandfather, Larry Vas-
tola of Morristown, New
Jersey, said he completely
agreed with her. But he
said his wife - Campo’s
grandmother - had a dif-
Saturday 20 June 2015
Alex Rodriguez homers for 3,000th hit; 29th player to get it
against Boston’s Sergio ferent view. they dislike him so much at
Valdez. Back then, Rodri- “She can’t stand him,” he Yankee Stadium that they
guez was an 18-year-old said. “When we get home, were giving away these
batting last for the Seattle we’re going to tell her that jerseys.”q
Mariners, a young man
New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez smiles after hitting a home with a big future.
Friday night’s plate umpire,
run for his 3,000th career hit, during the first inning of a baseball Ed Hickox, coincidentally
was the plate umpire for A-
game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 19, 2015, in Rod’s first hit.
“Is that right - 21 years
New York. Associated Press apart?” Hickox said an
hour before the first pitch.
By BEN WALKER guez was greeted by Mark “I was aware he was a
AP Baseball Writer Teixeira and other team- prospect for Seattle when
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex mates between the plate he got the hit, but that’s all
Rodriguez homered for and the dugout, and got a we knew then.”
his 3,000th career hit and big hug from manager Joe For all of his achievements,
smiled all the way around Girardi. A-Rod has been a polariz-
the bases Friday night, the The only other players to hit ing lightning rod in recent
highlight so far in what’s a homer for No. 3,000 were years. While the crowd in
become a resurgent sea- Jeter and Wade Boggs. the Bronx cheered him,
son for the formerly dis- Rodriguez turns 40 next there are many fans who
graced slugger. month. The three-time AL will forever attach an aster-
The New York Yankees star MVP launched his 13th isk to anything Rodriguez
wasted no time, connect- homer of the season and accomplishes.
ing in the first inning on a has enjoyed a productive Such is the baseball world
first-pitch, 95 mph fastball year as a designated hit- in the wake of perfor-
from Detroit ace Justin Ver- ter after sitting out all of mance-enhancing drugs,
lander. last season while serving a where RBIs, ERAs and other
Rodriguez became the drug suspension. huge numbers have been
29th player in major league A-Rod hit his 667th career tainted by PEDs. Bonds,
history to reach 3,000 hits, home run after beginning Roger Clemens and Mark
and the first since Yankees the day with a .299 lifetime McGwire are among the
great Derek Jeter hom- average in 21 seasons. He many with Cooperstown-
ered from the very same joined Hank Aaron and Wil- caliber credentials who
batter’s box in 2011. lie Mays as the only players haven’t come close to
With the crowd at Yankee with 600 homers and 3,000 being elected to the Hall
Stadium standing in an- hits. of Fame because of drug
ticipation, Rodriguez sent Earlier this year, he passed scandals.
a high drive to right field. Mays for fourth place on High school student Claire
He held onto the bat as he the all-time homer list and Campo, from Mission Viejo,
took a few steps toward eclipsed Barry Bonds for California, bought a $135
first base, and right fielder second on the official RBIs Rodriguez jersey in the sou-
J.D. Martinez bumped into chart. venir store an hour before
the wall as he backed up. This hit was quite different the game.
The crowd roared as the from his first one - a four- “I love Alex Rodriguez,”
ball sailed a half-dozen hop, infield single on July she said. “People need to
rows into the seats. Rodri- 9, 1994, at Fenway Park get off his case. He’s done
everything you could ask
for on the field. What he’s
done off the field, he apol-
ogized and paid the price.
What more do you want?”
Her grandfather, Larry Vas-
tola of Morristown, New
Jersey, said he completely
agreed with her. But he
said his wife - Campo’s
grandmother - had a dif-
