Jeter sets Yankees hits record

Jeter walked through the puddles to the plate in the third inning and hit one of his classic, inside-out swings to send the ball through the Baltimore Orioles infield for hit No. 2,722, passing Gehrig, whose career was ended by illness in 1939.

“The whole experience has been overwhelming,” Jeter said. “This is more than I could've imagined.”

He kept on going, too, with an RBI single in the fourth that put New York up 4-1. He left the game after another rain delay in the top of the seventh when manager Joe Girardi pulled most of his starters with the Yankees trailing 10-4.

“I didn't expect that many people to be out there after the rain delay considering how hard it was raining when we started the game,” Jeter said. “But the fans were incredible. It says a lot about how they feel about their team and more importantly how they feel about the history of their team. I appreciate each and every one that was there.”

Yankees players poured out of the dugout and engulfed Jeter at first base with hugs and pats on the back.

“I didn't know that they were going to do that, so that sort of caught me off-guard,” Jeter said. “It's a special moment for me, it's a special moment for the organization. To be able to enjoy it with my teammates was a lot of fun.”

Jeter spread his arms wide after rounding first base on his record-breaking hit and gave an emphatic clap as he headed back to the bag.

Poncho-clad fans roared during an ovation that lasted about 3 minutes. Jeter twice waved his helmet to the crowd of 46,771. Fans chanted his name and the ball was taken out of play as a souvenir.

“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 George Steinbrenner said in a statement. “As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today.

“That combination of character and athletic ability is something he shares with the previous record holder, Lou Gehrig.”

Gehrig's final hit came on April 29, 1939, a single against the Washington Senators. The Iron Horse had held the club record since Sept. 6, 1937, when he passed Babe Ruth.

Gehrig's career ended suddenly in 1939. Two years later, he died at 37 from the disease that would later bear his name.

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