Crawford notches 1,000th hit
LF Carl Crawford joined elite company Friday night, racking up his 1,000th career hit in the 7th inning against the Orioles.
Crawford, 26, becomes just the eighth active player to reach the millennium mark at age 26 or younger; that impressive list includes Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols.
To get it, Crawford hit a blooper off LHP Jamie Walker into shallow left-center, with the ball falling in beyond the outstretched glove of Orioles SS Ramon Hernandez.
Crawford received a standing ovation from the Tropicana Field crowd. The All-Star said Thursday he planned to ask for the ball as a keepsake.
Crawford's become more pivotal one batter later, when Carlos Pena ripped his second homer of the game - a three-run shot that tied the game at 5-5.
- JOE SMITH
Follow Tampa Bay Rays baseball from spring training to the World Series with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the St. Petersburg Times sports staff. From Evan Longoria to B.J. Upton and James Shields, we're your source for Tampa Bay Rays scores and schedules.
CC for mayor. Hit #2000 will be in the new waterfront stadium, can hardly wait.
Go Rays, let's take 2 from the Flakees starting tonight.
Posted by: rayray | April 14, 2008 at 10:52 AM
The scoreboard was lit up AND he got the ball like he wanted!!!! I was there for the sweet 10-5 victory!!! PENA FOR MVP!!!
Posted by: Jesse | April 12, 2008 at 10:43 AM
congrats to CC. hopefully we'll see #3000 in the new ballpark sometime around 2018.
Posted by: CTYA | April 12, 2008 at 12:29 AM
nice one CC!!!
i hope the trop scoreboard was lit up!
Posted by: raysfan | April 11, 2008 at 11:48 PM