NEW YORK – Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in major league history to hit 500 home runs, sending the first pitch he saw Saturday just past the foul pole in left field.
Rodriguez stood at home plate for a second after the drive off Royals starter Kyle Davies in the first inning, waiting to see if it would stay fair. He threw his hands in the air after it landed in the seats and began trotting around the bases as the Yankee Stadium crowd cheered wildly.
When he reached the plate, he hugged Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu, who both scored on the landmark home run. His teammates were already on the field and he embraced several of them on his way to the dugout.
The crowd buzzed and roared again when A-Rod stuck his head out of the dugout for a curtain call.
When he sat on the bench next to Jeter, the Yankees captain reached out and playfully rubbed A-Rod's head as the two superstars laughed.
His homer came eight days after the New York Yankees slugger celebrated his 32nd birthday. Rodriguez surpassed Jimmie Foxx (32 years, 338 days) as the youngest player to reach 500 homers. A-Rod is the 22nd player to reach the mark, the second this season behind Frank Thomas.
"Never, as a kid, did I ever think I'd hit even one," Rodriguez said after hitting No. 499 in a 7-1 win over Kansas City on July 25.
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