By Michael Ventura
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th home run during a Wednesday afternoon game at Yankee Stadium.
A-Rod's historic blast came in the first inning of the matinee against the Toronto Blue Jays when he hit a two-run shot off starter Shaun Marcum.
The Yanks went on to win 5-1.
“It sure has been a while,” Rodriguez said after the game, according to the New York Post, “but it definitely felt good to get a big home run and help us win.”
Rodriguez took a 2-0 pitch to centerfield with two outs and Yankee Captain Derek Jeter on first.
Jeter gave A-Rod a big hug after they finished rounding the bases.
The Yankees immediately began selling commemorative T-shirts at the stadium for $25, the Post reported.
Rodriguez is now the youngest player in Major League Baseball history to hit 600 home runs. He's also the seventh player in history to hit at least that many. The most recent player to do it was A-Rod's former Seattle Mariners teammate Ken Griffey Jr., who retired this year after hitting 630 career homers.
Former Giants slugger Barry Bonds hold the record for career home runs with 762.
Prior to his historic blast, A-Rod had been mired in a slump that saw the Yankees slip into second place behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees third baseman went 9-for-46 since hitting No. 599 on July 22.
A-Rod has hit 255 of his home runs as a member of the Yankees. He hit 156 homers with the Texas Rangers and 189 with the Seattle Mariners.
