A-Rod passes Griffey for 5th place with 631 HRs

[April 21, 2012]  BOSTON (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez has moved ahead of Ken Griffey Jr. into sole possession of fifth place with his 631st career homer.

Rodriguez connected on the first pitch of the fifth inning against Clay Buchholz, giving the New York Yankees a 5-1 lead over the Boston Red Sox on Friday. It was New York's fourth homer of the game off Buchholz.

Rodriguez's second homer of the season, over the left-field wall, left him 29 shy of Willie Mays' fourth-place total of 660.

The Yankees' homer barrage came one day after they hit four, three by Curtis Granderson and one by Mark Teixeira.

[Associated Press]

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