NEW YORK (AP) — His pregame tribute ended by a storm, Alex Rodriguez soaked in repeated cheers during his final game in pinstripes, getting one more hit for the New York Yankees and returning to third base one last time.
On a night filled with nostalgia as the Yankees and Rodriguez turn to uncertain futures, baseball's most notorious star of the last two decades drove a 96 mph fastball from Tampa Bay's Chris Archer into the right-center field gap in the first inning of New York's 6-3 victory Friday.
And with the sellout crowd of 46,459 chanting "We want A-Rod!" the 41-year-old designated hitter trotted to third base for the first time in 15 months at the start of the ninth inning as the organist played "Thanks for Memory." He was replaced after a leadoff strikeout, hugging his teammates. A-Rod ran back on the field for more hugs after the final out, grabbing a handful of dirt from the infield.
Rodriguez grounded out, struck out and bounced out again on the first pitch in his last at-bat. The 1-for-4 night left him with a .200 average, nine homers and 31 RBIs in his 12th and final Yankees season.
Rodriguez has 696 home runs, fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). Rodriguez said last Sunday he had accepted an offer to play one final home game and then become a team adviser through 2017, tasked with mentoring young players.
Starlin Castro had four RBIs for the Yankees, hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the sixth off Archer (6-16) that gave CC Sabathia (7-9) his second win since mid-June. Dellin Betances got the save.
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