Grudzielanek posts 2,000th hit in Royals victory
'I'm flabbergasted I've been in the game this long,' says 13-year major leaguer
Mark Grudzielanek can't believe his major-league career lasted long enough to make reaching 2,000 hits something worth thinking about.
But there was the Royals second baseman on Saturday night delivering the milestone hit, a single to centre-field off Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn in the third inning that drew a standing ovation from the Kauffman Stadium crowd in Kansas City.
What made the night extra special was designated hitter Jose Guillen's two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Royals to their third straight win, 5-4.
Grudzielanek, 38, became the 18th active player and the 251st in major league history to reach 2,000 hits.
"I'm flabbergasted I've been in the game this long," the 13-year major leaguer said before the game. "I'm thankful. It's an awesome accomplishment. There are not a lot of guys out there with that many hits and play that long and put up those kind of numbers, so I'm very proud of it."
Grudzielanek became the sixth player to reach 2,000 hits in a Royal uniform. George Brett, Amos Otis, Hal McRae, Frank White and Lee May were the others.
Grudzielanek got his first hit — a double off Mike Remlinger of the New York Mets — on May 4, 1995, during his rookie season with the Montreal Expos.
With files from the Associated Press