A-Rod ties mark with 13th, 14th homers

Yankees third baseman equals Major League April record
By Dawn Klemish / MLB.com

Everyone is expecting to see an Alex Rodriguez homer these days, and on Monday, he didn't disappoint. The Yankees third baseman wasted no time, either, clubbing his 13th home run of the year during his first at-bat.

Then, in his final at-bat in the ninth, A-Rod hit a two-run shot for No. 14 of the season.

Although the hits couldn't lift his team to victory, the Yankees lost to the Rays, 10-8, they still went a long way in the record books.

The first long ball tied the AL record for April homers. The second homer broke that record and tied Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols for the MLB record for April home runs, set last season. A-Rod also became the fastest player to hit 14 homers, with Monday being his 18th game of the season.

The 31-year-old Rodriguez's 4-for-5, three-RBI night included his 33rd and 34th RBIs of the month, a career high. He's one behind the April record of 35, set by Juan Gonzalez in 1998.