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Jeter sets Yankees hit record in loss to Orioles

Sep 12, 2009 - 9:10 AM By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Derek Jeter's record-breaking hit came early. The Baltimore Orioles took over late.

Jeter broke the New York Yankees' hit record held by Lou Gehrig for more than 70 years, but Baltimore overcame a pair of three-run deficits for a 10-4 victory Friday night in a game delayed twice by rain.

A third-inning single to right field gave Jeter 2,722 hits, one more than Gehrig, whose Hall of Fame career was cut short by illness in 1939.

"It's still hard to believe for me," Jeter said. "It wasn't ideal conditions tonight and for the fans to stick around, it really means a lot. They've been here since day one, they've always been very supportive. I felt like they're just as much a part of this as I am."

The captain added an RBI single in the fourth that put the Yankees up 4-1 before the Orioles rallied against Andy Pettitte and the New York bullpen.

Jeter's record-breaking hit was remarkably similar to the one that tied Gehrig on Wednesday night, a sharp grounder inside the first-base line. After this one, Yankees players poured out of the dugout and engulfed Jeter at first base with hugs and pats on the back.

"For those who say today's game can't produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. Game in and game out he just produces," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement.

Jeter said he spoke to Steinbrenner during the second rain delay.

"It was great to hear from him. I think our relationship has been well-documented throughout the years. We've been pretty close since I came up," Jeter said. "We miss seeing him around here as much as we used to, but it was great to hear his voice and he had a lot of great things to say."

Jeter spread his arms wide after rounding first base and clapped his hands emphatically as he headed back to the bag. Then, his teammates came out to congratulate him.

"It was pretty spontaneous, but it was well-deserved," Alex Rodriguez said. "Just capturing the moment. "That's a lot of hits."

Rain-drenched fans, many wearing bright ponchos, roared during an ovation that lasted about 3 minutes. Jeter twice waved his helmet to the crowd of 46,771 - just as he did after tying the record. Fans chanted his name and the ball was taken out of play as a souvenir.

"I think 50 years from now people are going to look at the back of his baseball card," Rodriguez said, "and see some crazy number of hits. It's not going to capture half the story. ... Derek's the ultimate grinder. He's the ultimate winner."

When his opposite-field grounder got past diving first baseman Luke Scott, Jeter's parents raised their arms in excitement. Joining them in an upstairs box filled with family and friends were his sister and steady girlfriend, actress Minka Kelly.

Jeter said his mother nearly didn't make it to the game because she was in Tampa, Fla., earlier in the day and her flight was delayed.

Baltimore spoiled some of the fun, though.

Leadoff batter Brian Roberts had three RBIs, including a two-run single off Damaso Marte (1-2) that put the Orioles ahead during a four-run sixth.

Cesar Izturis added two RBIs and Nick Markakis hit a two-run single in the seventh just before play was stopped for 67 minutes.

When the game resumed, Jeter was pulled along with several other Yankees starters. By the time it ended at 1:28 a.m., there were only a few hundred hardy souls in the stands.

"Now we can get back to playing games and trying to win games," Jeter said.

The start was delayed 87 minutes by rain that soaked the warning track with large puddles. Jeter struck out in the first inning against 21-year-old rookie Chris Tillman (2-3), but gave fans the record-breaking moment they came to see his next time up.

"He's part Yankee history now," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "He has always represented himself and that organization with class, and he deserves it."

Rodriguez hit a three-run homer in the first inning for the Yankees, a shot that sailed into the second deck in left field. Pettitte labored through five innings and left with a 4-3 lead after 103 pitches.

Tillman struck out a career-high eight in five-plus innings. Mark Hendrickson worked three scoreless innings for his first major league save.

Blue Jays 6, Tigers 4=

At Detroit, Aaron Hill had four hits and the Toronto Blue Jays extended the Detroit Tigers' slump.

The AL Central leaders have lost four straight to Kansas City and Toronto after a six-game winning streak. The Blue Jays won for just the third time in their last 13 road games.

Brian Tallet (7-9) picked up his second straight win.

Angels 7, White Sox 1=

At Anaheim, Calif., Joe Saunders won his fourth straight start, Bobby Abreu drove in two runs without the benefit of a hit for Los Angeles.

Saunders (13-7) allowed just three hits over seven innings, struck out three and retired his final 15 batters after Jayson Nix homered leading off the third.

Royals 2, Indians 1, 12 innings=

At Cleveland, Miguel Olivo homered with one out in the 12th inning after David DeJesus saved the game for Kansas City with two accurate throws.

Olivo, who drove in the Royals' first run with a fourth-inning groundout, hit an 0-2 pitch from Jose Veras (4-3) as Kansas City won its fifth straight game.

DeJesus, the left fielder, threw out runners at the plate in the ninth and 11th inning.

Athletics 12, Twins 5=

At Minneapolis, Jack Cust hit one of Oakland's five home runs and Clayton Mortensen earned his first major league victory.

Mark Ellis, Cliff Pennington, Daric Barton and Kurt Suzuki also homered for an Oakland team that entered the game last in the American League in home runs.

The 24-year-old Mortensen (1-2) gave up a leadoff homer to Minnesota's Denard Span, but didn't yield another run after that. After losing starts at Kansas City and against Seattle, Mortensen scattered five hits over six innings.