There was just one out in the third inning Saturday, July 9, 2011. The noise from players, coaches and fans was deafening. Manager Joe Girardi draped both arms over the rail in his familiar pose Jorge Posada stood amid the players at the rail, Jeeter's teammate since 1992 both teens plaed Class A ball in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Yankees catcher and current designated hitter had witnessed countless of Jeter’s 2,999 major league hits. And now with 3,000 looming he watched as Jeter swung to connect with an off-speed pitch on a full-count. Tampa Bay Rays starter David Price heard the crack over the din of the crowd and knew, as did the others, that Derek Jeter had hit the 3,000-hit mark with a home run.

Yankees ran onto the field to celebrate as Jeter rounded the bases and not even the best Vegas gambler could have predicted that Derek Jeter — No. 2 — would became the second player in history to reach the milestone with a home run for his second hit of the day during his second at-bat at 2 p.m.

Posada, Mariano Rivera, relievers who were warming up in the bullpen and countless others enjoyed an on-field celebration that lasted approximately five minutes.

The crowd of 48,103 stood and cheered in a sound that surely was heard by every New Yorker. Jeter raised a fist toward the luxury suite where his parents, girlfriend Minka Kelly, and other family and friends  were seated. 

Showing the true mark of a champion, Jeter seemed anxious to get back to the business of baseball, going on to double his next time up in the fifth inning, single in the sixth and drive in the go-ahead run with another single in the eighth. This matched his career-high with a 5 for 5 afternoon propelling the Yankees  to a 5-4 victory over the Rays.

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg called Jeter “one of New York’s icons” and said: “Perhaps above all else, Derek is someone who loves this city and who has a long history of giving back to the place and the people that helped make him the superstar he is. New York has a greater baseball tradition than any other city, but we’ve never had a player get all 3,000 hits in a New York uniform until today. Congratulations Derek — you’ve made all of New York City proud.