The Yankees may need to rely on A-Rod’s pursuit of the all-time home run crown in order to have a shot at the playoffs in 2015.
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New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez recorded two home runs and four RBIs in a 5-4 win for the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays, putting him within two HRs of tying Willie Mays for No. 4 on the all-time HR list.
Coming into the game with 656 career home runs, Rodriguez needed four home runs in order to tie legendary Giants slugger Willie Mays with 660 home runs – which would then put him just 54 behind Babe Ruth for No. 3 on the all-time list – but Rodriguez cut that deficit in half in just six innings.
In the second inning, Rodriguez hit an incredible 477-foot home run to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead over Tampa Bay. Trailing 2-4 in the sixth with a runner on base, A-Rod hit another one deep in the right field to tie the game up with a two-run homer. He sealed the win for the Yankees in the 8th inning with an RBI single to give them a 5-4 lead they would hold for the final two innings.
ESPN Stats and Info noted that A-Rod’s 477-foot home run was the longest hit by any Yankee over the past 10 seasons, and it’s the longest by anyone at Tropicana Field over that same span.
With his performance, Rodriguez is now tied for second in the American League with four home runs on the season.
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