A-Rod homers for 3,000th hit, Yankees beat Tigers 7-2

New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez follows through on a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 19, 2015, at Yankee Stadium in New York. The home run was his 3,000th career hit. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun) New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez follows through on a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 19, 2015, at Yankee Stadium in New York. The home run was his 3,000th career hit. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

By Associated Press June 19, 2015 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Alex Rodriguez homered for his 3,000th career hit and smiled all the way around the bases as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2 Friday night, the highlight so far in what’s become a resurgent season for the formerly disgraced slugger.

Rodriguez wasted no time, connecting in the first inning on a first-pitch, 95 mph fastball from Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

Out of baseball last year while serving a drug suspension, Rodriguez became the 29th player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits. He was the first to do it since Yankees great Derek Jeter homered from the very same batter’s box in 2011.

Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius also homered as the Yankees won their third in a row. Detroit has lost four of six.