News
Tejada, Berkman reach hit, homer marks
Shortstop joins 2,000 club; Puma slugs 300th long ball
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
06/14/09 2:11 AM ET
PHOENIX -- Miguel Tejada collected his 2,000th career hit in the sixth inning Saturday night, and two batters later Lance Berkman hit career homer No. 300.The Astros' milestone inning turned around a game they trailed, 1-0, and gave them a 3-1 lead over the D-backs behind ace right-hander Roy Oswalt. Houston went on to win the game, 6-4.
With Michael Bourn on third base and one out, Tejada lined a 1-0 pitch from Arizona right-hander Jon Garland to left to tie the score at 1 and reach the personal milestone. A few minutes later, Berkman, also picking on a one-ball offering, lined his home run into the right-field seats to become the seventh switch-hitter in Major League history to reach 300 home runs. "It's not like 500," said Berkman, revealing a true appreciation for significant baseball numbers, "but not that many switch-hitters have gotten here."The best part about it, the way Roy was pitching, was that I thought it'd be enough to win the game."
Berkman also became the second member of the Astros to hit hit 300th homer this season, with Ivan Rodriguez reaching that plateau on May 17 in Wrigley Field.
Berkman and Rodriguez are the second set of teammates to notch their 300th home runs this season, although they didn't go about it quite as dramatically as the White Sox's Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko -- who did it back-to-back on April 13 in Detroit. The record for most home runs by a switch-hitter is held by Mickey Mantle at 536. The other switch-hitters with 300-plus homers are Eddie Murray (504), Chipper Jones (416), Chili Davis (350), Reggie Smith (314) and Ruben Sierra (306). Tejada's single was his first hit of this series in seven at-bats. "It means a lot. I was especially very happy that it tied the game," said Tejada, who rewarded his wife, two kids, sister and several friends who had traveled here in anticipation of the special hit.Tejada, two months into his 13th big league season, is the 29th shortstop in Major League history and the fourth active to reach 2,000 hits, following in the footsteps of Omar Vizquel, Derek Jeter and Edgar Renteria.
"They've been successful and consistent for a long time," saluted Astros manager Cecil Cooper, able to easily relate to their accomplishments. "I played 17 years and barely got near those numbers."
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
