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David Ortiz Joins 500 Home Run Club!



It might have taken him a little longer than he would've liked, but David Ortiz is fianlly a member of the 500 club. Just two months from his 40th birthday, Big Papi slugged two deep balls in Tampa Bay against the Rays Saturday to reach the milestone. The first, homer number 499, was a three-run shot in the first. Number 500 came off a 2-2 pitch in the fifth.

It was Ortiz's 50th multi-homer game in his 19-year career.

Ortiz is the 27th person in major league history to hit 500 home runs. He's the fourth Red Sox player (the others are Manny Ramierez (555), and Jimmie Foxx (534). amd Ted Williams (521) are the others) and fourth player from the Dominican Republic (Alex Rodriguez (684), Sammy Sosa (609), and Albert Pujols (555) are the others) to do it.

"It's a number where it's very hard to get, and I've been competing and trying to get things done the right way through the years," Ortiz said. "All the names that you mention that are in the 500 club are legends, so to be part of it is an honor and I'm going to enjoy it."




Photo: Brian Blanco/Getty Images

david ortiz 500 home runs