Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera recorded his 3,000th career hit with a first-inning single to right field off Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela on Saturday in Detroit’s 13-0 rout in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Cabrera, 39, is the 33rd major league player to reach 3,000 hits and the first Venezuelan player to do so.
The future Hall of Famer also became the seventh player in major league history with both 3,000 hits and 500 homers. He joins a fraternity limited to Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez.
“I was really nervous,” Cabrera said after Game 1. “I wanted to get my 3,000th hit here in Detroit because of what happened last year with 500 (home runs) on the road. This one was really special for me because I wanted to do it here for my fans in my hometown here in Detroit.”
Cabrera later recorded hit No. 3,001, a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase Detroit’s lead to 8-0. Cabrera was then replaced by pinch-runner Eric Haase and received a standing ovation.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was excited to see the historic moment.
“We don’t know if we’re going to see another one in our baseball lifetime or our whole lifetime,” Hinch said. “We’re going to look back at this and rank it at or near the top of our experience – having been a part of this small juncture of his Hall of Fame career. The next thing will be when he gets inducted, years from now (into the Hall of Fame). … I know none of us in the building will forget it.”
The two-time American League MVP, 2012 Triple Crown winner, four-time batting champion and 11-time All-Star had three hits on Wednesday before going hitless Thursday and then seeing Friday’s scheduled series opener postponed due to rain.
He wasted no time Saturday etching his name into immortality.
“Seeing Miguel grow from a teenager taking batting practice on neighborhood fields in Venezuela to becoming one of the best players in baseball history has been one of the great joys of my life,” Tigers executive vice president and general manager Al Avila said in a statement. “His humility, passion for having fun and genuine love of the city of Detroit are completely unmatched and joining the 3,000 hit club only strengthens his standing as one of the game’s all-time greats. This is a tremendous accomplishment, and we know there are many more exciting times on the horizon.”
Tigers chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch also praised Cabrera in a statement.
“Congratulations to Miguel Cabrera on his 3,000th career hit! Like Tigers fans, I’ve been proud to witness Miggy’s amazing and historic 3,000 hit and 500 home run milestones, putting him among a select few MLB legends,” Ilitch said. “I thank Miguel for a career of exciting, Hall of Fame caliber play towards our objective of championship baseball for Tigers fans. Miggy has and continues to build his status as one of the greatest Tigers of all-time.”
Cabrera was in the starting lineup for Game 2 and kept the good times rolling with a single to center in the first inning.
–Field Level Media
