Red Sox slugger Ramirez crashes 500-homer club

BALTIMORE — Dreadlocks are in fashion in the exclusive 500-home run club, now that Manny Ramirez has added his name to the list of baseball's most prolific sluggers.

Ramirez became the 24th player to reach the milestone, connecting in the seventh inning off Chad Bradford to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 Saturday night.

Boston's left fielder hit the first pitch into the bleacher seats in right-center field. He stood and watched the flight of the ball, then took off around the bases in a slow trot, a broad smile on his face.

The solo shot gave Boston a 5-3 lead. It traveled an estimated 410 feet.

"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone," Ramirez said. "So I was happy to move on."

Ramirez hit No. 496 on April 19 but had only three more home runs in his next 34 games. He hit No. 499 Tuesday at Safeco Field against the Mariners.

No. 500 was worth the wait, he said.

"It was great, especially since I've been trying so hard the past three weeks just to get it done," he said. "It finally came and I'm happy. I'm proud of myself, of all the things I've accomplished. Now I can go and have fun."

In the bottom of the seventh, as he ran to his position in the outfield, Ramirez waved to thousands of Boston fans among the 48,281 at Camden Yards. Although it was a road game for the Red Sox, at least the seats were filled with Boston backers.

Ramirez is the 12th youngest to hit 500 home runs; his 36th birthday was on Friday. The youngest was Alex Rodriguez, who did it eight days after his 32nd birthday.

"I'm happy, you know, about everything I accomplished in life," Ramirez said. "Not everybody has the chance to go and get to 500. I'm just proud to do it."

Ramirez is the third player to reach 500 in a Red Sox uniform, joining Ted Williams and Jimmy Foxx.