Yankees 5, Rays 4
Derek Jeter entered the history books with a bang, clubbing a home run for his 3,000th career hit and driving in the game-winning run with his third career five-hit game to lift the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on a festive Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
The 37-year-old Jeter became the first Yankee to reach the milestone and, as usual, he did it in the style befitting his iconic career with a memorable 5-for-5 performance.
Needing two hits to become the 28th major leaguer to reach 3,000, Jeter singled in his first at-bat before electrifying the masses at Yankee Stadium in the third inning, drilling a long home run off Rays ace David Price into the seats in left field to gain entrance into one of baseball's most exclusive clubs.
If that was not enough, the Yankee captain ensured a fairy-tale ending to the day with an RBI single in the eighth inning to snap a 4-4 deadlock.
Jeter became only the second player to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit, joining one-time teammate Wade Boggs. He's also the first player to reach the milestone since Houston's Craig Biggio in June 2007.
Appropriately enough, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who came up to the Yankees with Jeter in 1995, finished off the victory with his 22nd save.
The story, though, was the magnificence of Jeter. As he rounded first base on his home run trot with flashbulbs clicking and Yankee Stadium fans standing and showering him with applause, Tampa Bay's Casey Kotchman tipped his cap to him and Price placed his glove on the mound and walked to the dugout in a show of respect.
Ironically, the first hit allowed by Price in his major league career was to Jeter – and it also came on a home run.
Longtime teammate Jorge Posada was the first player to greet Jeter, embracing him warmly after he crossed home plate.
B.J. Upton hit a two run home run and Matt Joyce had a solo shot for the Rays, who tied it in the eighth on Ben Zobrist’s RBI single off David Robertson (2-0).
Yankees starter A.J. Burnett struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Price lasted only five innings, giving up four runs and seven hits.