words_Nick Engvall

Just like when he reached number 500, Alex Rodriguez left baseball fans hanging like a curve ball waiting for number 600 to be hit. It may have taken 46 at-bats for A-Rod to hit 600, but on the anniversary of number 500 in 2007, Rodriguez couldn’t have picked a better time or place.

It seems appropriate that Rodriguez, who just turned 35 on July 27th, would pass New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth, who was the previous youngest to reach the 600 home run milestone at home in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. Rodriguez hit 500 in the old Yankee Stadium, so it seemed like destiny for 600 to come in the new Yankee Stadium.

Number 600 came with two outs on a 2-0 pitch from Shaun Marcum of the Toronto Blue Jays. A-Rod blasted it into center field, driving in superstar teammate Derek Jeter, who was on first base, to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The home run also ended a 17 at-bat hitless streak for Rodriguez.

At 35, Rodriguez adds his name to the list of baseball elite that have shared the milestone. Only six other players have accomplished the milestone: Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa. Rodriguez will only climb the list, and many anticipate he will break Bonds’ all-time record of 762 in the next four or five seasons.

Alex Rodriguez watches home run number 600 fly over the center field fence at Yankee Stadium.

via yahoo