Derek Jeter moved within nine hits of 3,000 Friday night with a seventh-inning double off Chad Durbin of the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankee Captain has 2,991 career hits as he seeks to become the first player to amass 3,000 hits for the Yankee franchise.
There are six games left in the current Yankee homestand, so Jeter needs to have hot streak if he is going to reach the milestone while the team is at Yankee Stadium.
One of the most recent players to join the 3,000-hit club, Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn, warned that the last 10 hits en route to 3,000 are the most difficult.
Getting to 2,990 was simple," Gwynn said this week as the Yankees captain and shortstop closed in on the magic number. "Those last 10 are hard to get, because your thinking changes. All along you're just grinding it out, trying to hit the ball hard, trying to do things right. But as you get closer to it you try to cheat to get hits. People are coming to see you get hits, so it gets a little bit tougher. ...
"I keep talking about that pressure. It just starts to mount as you get closer. And you put pressure on yourself because you want to do it at home, but I fell short. It's funny how things work out, but it did. And it was pretty cool. I wouldn't change a thing."