HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez passed Willie Mays for fourth place on the career homer list, connecting for No. 661 Thursday night an at-bat after he was robbed of the milestone drive by a leaping catch.
The New York Yankees star hit a liner off Baltimore’s Chris Tillman into a secure area just to the left of Monument Park in center field in the third inning. A-Rod sent a soaring shot in the first that Delmon Young caught by reaching over the top of the wall in right field.
“Nobody will ever pass Willie Mays,” Rodriguez said after the Yankees beat the Orioles 4-3. “I talked about him being my father’s favorite player. There’s only one Willie Mays. Not only what he did on the field but what he meant off the field. He’s a legend and he’s also a role model for all of us.”
Next up for Rodriguez: Babe Ruth at 714 home runs.
The Yankees, who said they will not pay a $6 million bonus after Rodriguez matched the Say Hey Kid on Friday in Boston, put a message on the main videoboard saying, “661 Home Runs. Alex Rodriguez just surpassed Willie Mays for sole possession of 4th place on baseball’s all-time home runs list.”
The slugger pumped his fist as he rounded first base, and fans gave Rodriguez, who didn’t play last year while serving a drug suspension, a standing ovation as he was greeted warmly in the dugout by his teammates.
“It’s a lot of fun to be part of,” said Brett Gardner, who pulled off Rodriguez’s helmet. “I know there’s a lot of questions surrounding everything. Still, 661 home runs is a lot.”
Mark Teixeira stayed out of the batter’s box as the cheers swelled. Rodriguez was encouraged by the Yankees to take a curtain call, and he said he looked to manager Joe Girardi for reassurance that it was OK. Then, ever so briefly, the three-time AL MVP jumped to the top step and thrust both hands above his head.
“When you’re productive you re-earn their respect and they pull for you,” Girardi said of the fans.
Rodriguez, who turns 40 in July, moved into a tie for fourth in the AL this season with seven home runs.
The Yankees and A-Rod have a marketing agreement that calls for $6 million each for up to five achievements, payable within 15 days of designation by the team. But New York has said the marketing possibilities were ruined after Rodriguez served his performance-enhancing drug penalty for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
The accomplishments were contemplated to be homers 660, 714, 755 (Hank Aaron), 762 (Barry Bonds) and 763 as he moved up baseball’s list.
No payment likely would trigger a grievance on Rodriguez’s behalf by the players’ union. Without a settlement, the case would be heard by an arbitrator.
“That’s not where my mind is right now,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really just trying to enjoy this moment.”
• Grandal drives in 8, homers twice as Dodgers rout Brewers
MILWAUKEE — Going into the sixth inning, Yasmani Grandal was having a rather nice game — a single, plus a pair of walks.
After that, he turned into a regular Babe Ruth.
Grandal drove in eight runs, hitting two homers and reaching base six times to power the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Milwaukee Brewers 14-4.
It was tied at 3 through five innings and Grandal had zero RBIs up to that point. He had totaled two home runs and just four RBIs this year before breaking loose at Miller Park.
“I want to get those RBIs, so I was pressing a lot,” he said.
Grandal’s two-run single capped a four-run sixth inning. He hit a three-run homer into the second deck in right field in the eighth and launched another three-run shot in the ninth.
Acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with San Diego in December, Grandal said he had been trying almost too hard to make a good impression on his new teammates.
Grandal became the fifth player in team history to get at least eight RBIs in a game. He became the first to do it for the Dodgers since James Loney drove in nine against Colorado in 2006.
“He’s been swinging the bat well for a few days now. It seems like he’s kind of caught fire,” manager Don Mattingly said.
Starting in a day game after A.J. Ellis caught the previous night, Grandal went 4 for 4 with two singles and two walks.
Grandal’s previous career high for RBIs was five, done last Sept. 25 when he homered twice against San Francisco.
Alex Guerrero also homered for the Dodgers, his sixth.
Milwaukee, with the worst record in the majors, split a four-game series with the NL West leaders after Craig Counsell replaced fired manager Ron Roenicke.
Carlos Frias (3-0) won for the second time in as many starts. He gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out six and walking one.
“I was able to control both sides of the plate,” he said.
When asked if his two starts should earn him a regular spot in the Dodgers rotation, Frias said: “I just get ready to do anything they tell me to do to help the team win. My goal is to stay here.”
Mike Fiers (1-4) was lifted in the sixth after walking Guerrero and giving up a triple to Andre Ethier. Fiers allowed five runs on five hits and five walks, and fanned eight.
Adam Lind hit a solo home run and an RBI single for the Brewers. Adrian Gonzalez blooped a two-run single for the Dodgers.
OUT OF HERE
The Brewers have surrendered a major league-high 42 home runs this season. The Dodgers connected for nine in this series, three by Joc Pederson.
Grandal said players around the league view Miller Park as a home run haven, but not him.
“For me, I’ve never really hit well here. I hit two home runs here today and I don’t really know how. I’ve never really driven the ball here. I’d much rather be playing somewhere else.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Los Angeles optioned P Joe Wieland to Triple-A Oklahoma City, one day after he was called up, and recalled OF Chris Heisey. Wieland started and took the loss in Wednesday night’s game, giving up six runs in 4 2-3 innings. … OF Yasiel Puig, on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury, was expected to be the DH for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday. Mattingly said Puig could possibly play in the outfield on his rehab assignment by Saturday.
Brewers: OF Carlos Gomez was out of the lineup. Milwaukee reinstated Gomez, who injured his right hamstring, from the 15-day DL Saturday. “He’s played five games since, and I think it’s important that we make sure that everything’s OK with him,” Counsell said. “He’s been going hard and he’s a little sore.”
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Matt Anderson (1-1, 4.21 ERA) will pitch to start a three-game series at Colorado. Anderson pitched for the Rockies last season, compiling a record of 1-3 with a 2.91 ERA before being shut down with a broken left index finger and lower back surgery.
Brewers: Jimmy Nelson (1-2, 4.03 ERA) will make his sixth start of the season as Milwaukee opens a three-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs at home on Friday. Nelson pitched against the Cubs on Sunday, allowing three runs in 6 2-3 innings.
