Reliving Texas Rangers Memories: Adrián Beltré Notches 3,000th Hit
Hosting the Baltimore Orioles on July 30, 2017 at Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Texas Rangers were on the wrong side of an offensive explosion. Yet deep in the heart of Texas, the result of the game seemed secondary as 32,437 fans in attendance witnessed history on a sweltering Texas summer day.
RBI singles by Orioles hitters Trey Mancini, Chris Davis, and Welington Castillo had Texas down 4-0 after four frames. Coming to the plate in the home half of the fourth inning against Baltimore left-hander Wade Miley, Adrián Beltré looked to ignite the Rangers offense with one on and one out. As Beltré stepped in the box, fans rose to their feet in anticipation of history.
After getting ahead in a 3-0 count, Beltré lashed a 91-mph fastball down the left field line into the corner for his 3,000th career hit, igniting the home crowd into a nearly five-minute frenzy in support of the first Dominican-born player to reach 3,000 hits.
Teammates poured out of the dugout to applaud the living legend, while Orioles players congratulated the future Hall of Famer following the double. While teammates congratulated Beltré on his historic feat, his children raced to the outfield wall to unveil Beltre's 3,000-hit sign, forever immortalizing the third baseman in Rangers' lore.
Later, Beltré shared a number of warm embraces with family along the first base line, taking in a special moment in a Hall of Fame career that was nearing an end.
While the Rangers went on to lose 10-6, Texas fans will forever remember July 30, 2017 as the day one of the greatest players in franchise history pushed his way into the game's record books.
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