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Orioles star Palmeiro reaches 3,000 career hits

Rafael Palmeiro, the Baltimore Orioles slugger, became the 26th player to reach 3,000 career hits on Friday night, curling a run-scoring double into the left field corner in the fifth inning off Seattle starter Joel Pineiro, The Associated Press reported from Seattle.

Palmeiro also has 566 home runs over his 20-year career, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers. Palmeiro`s double tied him with Roberto Clemente for 25th place on the all-time list, with 3,000. In the sixth, he added a single to center off Mariners reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, passing Clemente.

Palmeiro also tied Robin Yount for 13th place on another all-time list, with 583 doubles. His 1,187 extra-base hits rank him seventh, moving him out of a tie with Frank Robinson.