New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez hits 600th home run

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez became the seventh -- and youngest -- player in Major League history to hit 600 career home runs Wednesday, exactly three years after he hit his 500th.

Rodriguez's 600th was a first-inning shot off Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum that scored Derek Jeter and went into the netting at Monument Park in Yankee Stadium.

It took 46 at-bats between his 599th and 600th homers -- more than twice as long as it took any other members of the 600-home run club -- but at 35 years and eight days, Rodriguez is still the youngest player to reach the milestone, a year and 188 days younger than Babe Ruth was when he hit his 600th.

In terms of total at-bats, Rodriguez is fourth-quickest to reach the mark, doing so in his 8,689th at-bat, behind Ruth (6,921), Barry Bonds (8,211) and Sammy Sosa (8,637).

Rodriguez is nine home runs away from tying Sosa on the all-time list.

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: Alex Rodriguez watches the ball as he hits his 600th career home run off Blue Jays starting pitcher Shaun Marcum in the first inning in New York on Wednesday. Credit: Ray Stubblebine / Reuters