A-Rod finally gets No. 600

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Alex Rodriguez added his own memento to Monument Park, even though retirement remains years off.

After struggling to hit his 600th home run, A-Rod reached the milestone with his usual dramatic flair. He became the youngest player to attain the mighty mark and did it by driving a pitch over Yankee Stadium’s center-field fence and into the area where the pinstriped greats are remembered.

“It was a relief just to put it past me,” Rodriguez said. “There’s no question I was pressing ’cause I wanted to get it out of the way.”

His two-run, first-inning drive off Toronto’s Shaun Marcum put New York ahead, and the Yankees coasted to a 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays on a sweltering Wednesday afternoon. The win ended the Yankees’ three-game losing streak.

Rodriguez went 9 for 46 after homering on July 22, the longest stretch between Nos. 599 and 600 for any of the seven to reach the mark. He was hitless in his last 17 at-bats.

A-Rod reached the milestone after a 12-game drought, connecting with a 2-0 pitch over the middle of the plate for his 17th home run of the season.

At 35 years, 8 days, Rodriguez joined a club that includes Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630) and Sammy Sosa (609). The next youngest was Ruth at 36 years, 196 days, in 1931, though he did it in 183 fewer games.

Marcum said the homer came on a cut fastball.

“It’s just another one on my stats. It’s important to him,” Marcum said.

A-Rod raised a hand slightly in triumph as he rounded first base, then completed his trot to the roar of the crowd of 47,659. He was greeted at home plate by Yankees captain Derek Jeter, both slapping outstretched hands above their heads.

“A lot of good things for him to come. He’s got another 15 years,” Jeter said. “You never know how many he’s going to hit.”