Yanks’ Jeter stands alone
Derek Jeter broke the New York Yankees’ hit record held by Lou Gehrig for more than seven decades Friday night. He did it with a single to right field in the third inning of a 10-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
That gave Jeter 2,722 hits, one more than Gehrig, whose Hall-of-Fame career was cut short by illness. Gehrig’s final hit came on April 29, 1939.
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 Georger Steinbrenner said in a statement.
Lincecum aims for Monday start
San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum is encouraged that his injured back is nearly “normal” again and he hopes to pitch Monday against the Colorado Rockies.
“Right now I feel as close to normal as I can,” Lincecum said. “They’re going to take 100 percent precaution.”
The reigning N.L. Cy Young Award winner, who was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday night because of spasms and inflammation in his lower back, played catch Friday and looked like his hard-throwing self.
Clearing the bases
Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton received a third injection for a pinched nerve in his back, and the two-time All-Star won’t play for “at least seven days” according to GM Jon Daniels. … Arizona police say a man they stopped on a Phoenix freeway for having a low tire has been arrested on suspicion of stealing the identity of Florida’s Kiko Calero. An Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman says Oscar Corral showed an officer a fake Puerto Rican driver’s license with the Calero’s name. Calero pitched for the Spokane Indians in 1996. … Baltimore pitcher Koji Uehara will miss the rest of the season because of a right elbow injury that has sidelined him since June. … St. Louis pitcher Kyle Lohse gets his first start in more than three weeks today.