BOSTON -- Even on one good leg, Derek Jeter continues to make history.

Despite being hobbled by an injured left ankle, the Yankees captain pulled even with Willie Mays on baseball's all-time hits list -- and cracked the top 10 -- with a seventh-inning single Thursday night against the Red Sox. It was the 3,283rd hit of his career.

"It's pretty special if you think about it, but it's kind of hard to think about it now, because we're trying to win games, especially this time of the year," Jeter said. "But I'd be lying to you if I didn't think it was special."

Jeter left Wednesday night's game in the eighth inning after reaggravating the ankle he had sprained in Tampa last week. Although he insisted he would play on Thursday, even manager Joe Girardi was not sure Jeter would be able to go until after batting practice.

"It's amazing," Girardi said. "It really is. It's amazing what he's done."

After going hitless in his first three at-bats Thursday night, Jeter fisted a bloop single into shallow center field off reliever Junichi Tazawa, scoring Steve Pearce from second base to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Jeter finished 1-for-5.

It was the 38-year-old Jeter's MLB-leading 195th hit of the season. He is now 30 hits behind Eddie Collins for ninth place on the all-time list.

Also Thursday, Alex Rodriguez scored his 1,888th run, tying him with Lou Gehrig for ninth on the all-time list.