Jon Lester the Chicago Cubs ace became the 25th left-hander in Major League Baseball history to reach 2,000 career strikeouts and hit the first home run of his career all in the same game.
Lester’s strikeout milestone was reached when he struck out Arizona’s Jack Reinheimer, a pinch hitter, in the fourth inning at Wrigley Fields Tuesday night.
The veteran southpaw, who is 33, is now the 11th pitcher who remains active and the fourth lefty to reach 2,000 strikeouts. That list includes CC Sabathia, Clayton Kershaw and Cole Hamels.
Prior to Tuesday’s outing, Lester sat at 1991 strikeouts. He struck out eight prior to spoiling Reinheimer’s first major league at bat with strikeout No. 2,000.
Lester hit his home run during the third inning. Lester’s home run was part of a 16-4 shellacking the Cubs gave Arizona.
Lester also singled in the second inning. With the single and home run, Lester set a personal record of posting his first career game with two hits. He took a curtain call following his home run in the third.
Lester called the home run cool and told reporters following the game that he would celebrate his accomplishments that same night but quickly move onto the next. He added that when it is all done and over, he will sit and go through everything during his career one by one.
Prior to hitting his home run on Tuesday, Lester’s career batting averages was just .077, with just 15 hits in 196 official at bats.
The Cubs’ southpaw was pulled in the fifth after the Diamondbacks filled the bases with no outs, so he did not pitch long enough to record his fourth consecutive win.
Regardless of a no decision, Lester said his two milestones accomplished during the game were cool. He said it was something difficult to describe, but he is paid to pitch the ball and not hit it, so when he can record a home run and two hits in the same game, it is a real big accomplishment.
Nevertheless, the Cubs pitcher said regardless of his hitting prowess he would much rather take a win over a home run.
Chicago has extended its National League Central lead to 2 ½ games over the second place Milwaukee Brewers.
