ST. PETERSBURG (AP) -- Paul Molitor has moved past Willie Mays into ninth place on the career hits list, getting No. 3,284 with a first-inning double in the Minnesota Twins' 10-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
“When you talk about Willie Mays, you talk about one of the most well-known names in the history of the sport,” Molitor said. “Willie's career was about a lot more than accumulating a lot of hits. He was a spectacular all-around player.”
Molitor, 42, broke an 0-for-7 slump Thursday with the hit off Julio Santana, a ground-rule double down the right-field line. Molitor was 1-for-11 in the three-game series.
“It took three days here to get one, but nevertheless it's something you certainly don't take for granted,” said Molitor, who tied Mays on Sunday.
Molitor is 25 hits behind Eddie Collins, eighth at 3,309.