Rodriguez Joins 50-50 Homer Club

On a night when he joined a prolific list of sluggers, Alex Rodriguez also showed his skill at bartering.

Rodriguez hit two home runs to become the first player in the majors to reach 50 this season, and three of his teammates also connected as the Texas Rangers cruised past the Baltimore Orioles, 11-2, Thursday night at Baltimore.

Rodriguez, who hit 52 last year, is the fifth player in major league history to have successive 50-homer seasons. He follows Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr.

The $252-million shortstop managed to get hold of the ball that gave him 50 for the season, working a slick deal with the fan who caught it.

“A ball and a bat. Not bad at all,” Rodriguez said. “I’ll take that every day.”

Rodriguez was even more pleased with his accomplishment, although he wistfully wondered how nice it would have been if the Rangers, last in the American League West, were vying for the playoffs.

“I’m proud of 50 home runs in back-to-back years. It’s a thrill,” he said. “It’s kind of bittersweet because you’re doing it in a situation where the team isn’t excelling and doing great things. Still, a lot of the preparation and work ethic pays off.”

Rodriguez homered twice against Jason Johnson, hitting a two-run drive in the first inning and a solo shot in the third. It was his ninth multihomer game of the season and the 29th of his career.

Carl Everett, Todd Hollandsworth and Michael Young homered in a five-run fifth inning to give Texas an 11-1 lead.

Texas has homered in a team-record 23 straight games, two short of the major league record. Rodriguez has accounted for 13 of the Rangers’ 47 homers during the streak.

Rodriguez drove in three runs to boost his major league-leading total to 124. The last player to lead the majors in homers and RBIs in the same season was Cecil Fielder in 1991.

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Toronto 5, Boston 4--Josh Phelps hit two home runs and Justin Miller won his third consecutive decision to help the Blue Jays win at Boston. The Red Sox lost for the seventh time in 11 games. Phelps hit solo homers off John Burkett in the fourth and sixth innings and added a tiebreaking double in the seventh off Dustin Hermanson (1-1).

The Red Sox scored two runs in the ninth on a passed ball by Ken Huckaby and an RBI double by Carlos Baerga. Kelvim Escobar recovered to retire Johnny Damon on a fly out to center with the tying run on second base, earning his 29th save.

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Cleveland 11, Chicago 6--Karim Garcia hit a grand slam and Jim Thome added a two-run homer for the Indians at Chicago.

Trailing 3-2, the Indians took the lead with a six-run fifth inning. Ellis Burks hit a two-run single to give the Indians a 4-3 lead. The White Sox had a chance to get out of the inning with a double play, but shortstop Jose Valentin bobbled Thome’s grounder, allowing all runners to advance and load the bases for Garcia. Mike Porzio relieved and allowed Garcia’s third career grand slam.

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New York 9, Detroit 3--Raul Mondesi homered, doubled and drove in three runs as the Yankees won at New York. Orlando Hernandez (8-4) gave up three runs in seven innings, struck out seven and walked none, and won for only the third time in 10 starts.

Drew Henson, the former Michigan quarterback who is considered the Yankees’ third baseman of the future, made his major league debut as a pinch-runner. He replaced Bernie Williams, who hit an RBI single in the eighth.