Yastrzemski's 3,000th hit was worth the wait

“There’s been a lot of pressure the last three days,” Yastrzemski told United Press International about his hitless streak. “I came out of my normal realm of hitting. I was anxious.”

For most of the Wednesday night game, it looked like the slump would continue. The Sox may have led 8-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Yaz was 0-for-3 on the evening. Due for a hit, he stepped into the left side of the box and turned on a first-pitch fastball from Jim Beattie. Yastrzemski snuck a single past the outstretched glove of second baseman Willie Randolph, prompting a timeout for fans, teammates and family to offer cheers and congratulations at first base.

As Boston cruised to a 9-2 victory over the Yankees, Yastrzemski became only the 15th player in major league history to notch 3,000 hits. In the days prior, the city of Boston was on “Yaz Watch,” hoping to see their veteran complete another important milestone.

“I know one thing,” Yastrzemski told the crowd at Fenway Park after the hit, according to the New York Times. “The last hit was the hardest of all 3,000. It took so long because I really enjoyed all these standing ovations you gave me the last three nights.”

Yastrzemski would become the first player in American League history to reach 3,000 hits and 400 home runs, achieving both feats during the ’79 season. Serving as an outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter, he was a pillar of the Red Sox organization, playing his entire 23-year career in Boston.

“When it first happened, I thought I just gave up a hit,” Beattie told The New York Times. “Then I remembered. At that point, I turned into a fan. When I was growing up in Maine, I can’t remember the Sox without Yastrzemski.”