A-Rod becomes youngest to reach 500 home runs

Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 home runs when he smackedthe first pitch he sawfrom Royals starter Kyle Davies just inside the left-field foul pole Saturday.

The Yankees infielder waited to see if the ball stayed fair before raising his hands in the air and running around the bases to a raucous ovation at Yankee Stadium.

"I acted like a goofball running around the bases, but you only hit 500 once,"Rodriguez said after the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 16-8.

A-Rod, as he is affectionately known, was greeted at the plate by Yankee teammates Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu, who both scored on the 500th long ball to give New York a 3-0 first-inning lead.

Rodriguez's patience was tested to get to the mark. He'd gone28 at-bats since hittingnumber 499 —coincidentally against Kansas City —on July 25.

"I've conceded the fact that you can't will yourself to hit a home run. I tried that for four or five days,"he said.

The home runcame eight days afterRodriguez's 32nd birthday.Jimmie Foxx was 32 years, 338 days when he hit his 500th home run for the Boston Red Sox in 1939.

"His prime years are ahead of him, basically," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "This is a stopoff for him. It's not a destination."

Rodriguez, who leads the majors with 36 homers this season,is the22nd player toreach 500and the second to do so this season.Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas hit his 500th in late June in Minnesota.

Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox has 489 home runs, one ahead of Boston's Manny Ramirez.