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Albany, NY – Well Minnesota slugger Jim Thome has become just the eighth player ever to hit 600 home runs, connecting twice in the Twins' 9-6 win over Detroit.
The 40-year-old became the second-fastest hitter to reach the milestone, behind only Babe Ruth. The other seven members of the 600 club are Ruth, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa.
In Kansas City, Derek Jeter had three hits and knocked in three, as the Yankees knocked around the Royals 7-4. New York moves into a first place tie with idle Boston atop the American League East.
Elsewhere in the AL, Texas doubled up the Angels 8-4, Seattle topped Toronto 6-5, and Baltimore bounced Oakland 6-2.
Over to the NL, in San Diego, Scott Hairston's 10th inning fielder's choice drove in the go-ahead run, as the Mets dumped the Padres 5-4.
Elsewhere, Milwaukee blanked the Dodgers 3-0, Atlanta stunned San Francisco 5-4, Pittsburgh downed St. Louis 6-2, Colorado rallied past Florida 7-3, and the Cubs held off Houston 4-3.
In NFL news, the Jets opened their preseason last night, falling to Texans 20-16. Both teams only played their starters for the first quarter.
Having given up his bid for a new contract, two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora returned to practice with the Giants for the first time since training camp opened last month.
In NHL news, police say Winnipeg Jets center Rick Rypien has been found dead in his home. The 27-year-old Rypien is the second active NHL player found dead this offseason. Former New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard died in May due to an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone.
And in NASCAR, Marcos Ambrose won the rain-delayed Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International for his first victory in NASCAR's top series. Ambrose beat Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch on a green-white-checkered finish. Keselowski was racing with a broken left ankle, and trying for his second straight win and third of the season.
I'm Tristan O'Neill, WAMC News.