Beltre doubles to set Latin American hits mark

OAKLAND -- Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré is at the point of his Hall of Fame career where he ties or passes somebody on a list of all-time offensive leaders almost every week.
With the exception of reaching 3,000 hits last year, Beltre normally doesn't get worked up over these passing milestones. But he admitted that the two hits he had in the Rangers' 6-3 victory over the Athletics on Thursday were special.
The first one was a second-inning double that made him the all-time leader in hits by a player from Latin America. Beltre is from the Dominican Republic, and he passed Rod Carew of Panama with the 3,054th hit in his career.

"It means a lot, obviously," Beltre said. "We grew up watching those guys play in the big leagues. I never thought I would be mentioned with those guys. Obviously, for me it is humbling. Hard to believe because I grew up with those guys. Obviously, it's because I have been playing a long time and I have been lucky enough to stay on the field.
"I don't know how long I will stay up there. There are a lot of guys coming up behind me. But to get that is something I am proud of."
Beltre also had a single in the eighth inning for hit No. 3,055, tying him with Rickey Henderson for 23rd all-time. Henderson was Beltre's teammate with the Dodgers and he was at the Coliseum on Thursday in his job as special assistant with the Athletics.

"I played with him -- he was my teammate with the Dodgers in 2001 and for me he was way up there," Beltre said. "I never thought about having a chance to tie him or pass him on the hit list. It's a great accomplishment. It's hard to believe."
The next guy ahead of Beltre on the all-time hits list is Craig Biggio, with 3,060.
"It has just been incredible watching some of the names he has been passing," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
To read our Spanish-language coverage, go to LasMayores.com.