Eddie Murray became just the second switch-hitter and only the 20th player in baseball history to reach 3,000 hits when he singled in the sixth inning Friday night.

Murray joined Pete Rose, the career hits leader with 4,256, as the lone switch-hitters to reach 3,000. He made it to the mark by grounding a single through the right side for the Cleveland Indians off Mike Trombley.Murray, who got his 2,999th hit Thursday night but went hitless in his last four at-bats of the game, drew a walk from Trombley in the second inning and flied out in the fourth. Murray finished 1-for-3 in a 4-1 win.

After his historic hit, Murray, 39, shook hands with Cleveland first base coach Dave Nelson and Minnesota Twins first baseman Scott Stahoviak. They were then joined by the rest of the Indians, led by Dave Winfield, who later took pictures from the dugout with a camera.

Winfield was the last player to reach 3,000 hits, doing it on Sept. 16, 1993 - also at the Metrodome - while with Minnesota. Murray and Winfield are the first teammates with 3,000 hits since Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Eddie Collins all played for the 1928 Philadelphia Athletics.

While the crowd stood and cheered, a series of Murray's career highlights played on the Metrodome scoreboard. Murray, who rarely shows any emotion on the field, smiled as he raised both hands over his head twice to acknowledge the ovation.

Murray does not speak to the media often, and held no major news conferences leading up to the event. He said he would hold one, however, following the game in which he got his 3,000th hit.

All eligible players with 3,000 hits are in the Hall of Fame. Rose has been banned from consideration, while Winfield, George Brett and Robin Yount have not been retired for the mandatory five years.

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Murray has 2,045 hits left-handed and 955 right-handed during his career with Baltimore, Los Angeles, the New York Mets and Cleveland.

Murray also has 469 home runs, placing him 18th on the career list. The first baseman-designated hitter could someday join Hank Aaron and Willie Mays are the only players to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

Though he has never won a batting title nor led the majors in either home runs or RBI in a full season, Murray has been extremely consistent since breaking into the big leagues in 1977. He has had more than 75 RBI in every season he's played, plus at least 147 hits in each season that was not interrupted by a labor dispute.

Murray, born and raised in Los Angeles, played 12 years for the Orioles and helped them win the 1983 World Series.

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