Ripken Smacks 400th In Win

When he saw the ball clear the wall, Cal Ripken wanted to celebrate his 400th career homer by skipping around the bases and yelling like a young boy.

Instead, he displayed the level-headed demeanor he has throughout his 19-year career, calmly touching each base during his stroll into baseball history.

Ripken become the 29th member of the 400-homer club Thursday night, hitting a three-run shot to help lead the Baltimore Orioles over the Tampa Bay Devils Rays 11-6.

"You want to try to contain yourself and not get too caught up in the moment," he said. "There's a certain honor in playing the game, and I try to stay within that. I was running around the bases, wanting to jump up and down like I was an 8-year-old kid and enjoy the moment."

"...But you have a certain responsibility to conduct yourself as a professional. I was taught that by my father."

Cal Sr., who spent 15 years on the Orioles' coaching staff, died of lung cancer in March. But Cal Jr.'s mother was there, and as usual, her son's timing couldn't have been better.

"It's something we knew was going to happen, but I was happy I was here because I wasn't going to come tomorrow night," Vi Ripken said. "I needed a breather."

Ripken had been stuck on 399 homers since July 25. He played through July 31 before going on the disabled list for the second time this season, then returned Wednesday after sitting out a month.

Ripken went 0-for-3 in his first game back, twice grounding into double plays. He hit a meek popup in his first at-bat against Arrojo (4-10), but made his second tip to the plate truly memorable.

As usual, the milestone occurred at Camden Yards, where in 1995 he broke Lou Gehrig's record of playing in 2,130 straight games and voluntarily ended the amazing run at 2,632 last year.

"It was a great experience to hit No. 400 at home, to celebrate it in front of people who have supported you all these years," he said. "That was great."

The home-run ball broke the nose of one of those fans. Daniel Gerkin, a law student at George Washington University, got the rebound and gave the ball to Ripken after the game in exchange for a signed bat, a ball, a cap and cleats.

After Ripken rounded the bases, he was greeted warmly by his teammates in the dugout. He then came out and tipped his batting helmet to the standing crowd.

The fans remained on their feet as the Devil Rays made a pitching change, and Ripken used the delay to wave again to the appreciative crowd.

Minutes after his 16th homer of the season cleared the wall, hundreds of fans lined up to buy programs as a souvenir of the occasion.

Prior to the hit, Ripken's season had been notable primarily for his initial two trips onto the disabled list. He was also sidelined by lower back pain from April 20 to May 13.

Ripken, who went 1-for-4 before leaving after six innings, has 2,969 career hits. If he gets No. 3000, he will gain entry into an even tighter fraternity of hitters: those with 3,000 hits and 400 homers.

The only players to accomplish the feat are Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial, Dave Winfield and Carl Yastrzemski.

Tampa Bay's Wade Boggs, who got his 3,000th hit earlier this season, is looking forward to seeing Ripken join the club.

"We came up together. It was special getting to watch him hit this home run, and when he gets 31 more basehits, I will be just as happy for him at the time," Boggs said.

Jeff Conine had three hits and three RBIs for the Orioles, who took two of three from Tampa Bay. It was the first time in four tries over two years that Baltimore won a series from the Devil Rays at home.

Scott Erickson (11-11) allowed four runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Baltimore broke a tie with a five-run third, capped by Ripken's milestone homer.

Tampa Bay closed to 7-4 in the sixth, but the Orioles scored three unearned runs in the bottom half to make it 10-4 and prompt Baltimore manager Ray Miller to give Ripken the rest of the night off.

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