Pujols gets 2,000th career hit

St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols has notched the 2,000th hit of his career, becoming the 263rd Major League Baseball player to reach the milestone. The hit was a double down the third-base line in the eighth inning of the Cardinals' 9-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday. It came off Chicago relief pitcher Carlos Marmol and drove in a run, giving St. Louis a 9-2 lead that would prove to be the final tally. The crowd of 42,042 responded with a standing ovation for the 10-year veteran. Pujols, at second base, waved his helmet to them. "I think if they would have kept going, I think a couple of drops would have come out of my eyes," Pujols said. "To be able to share this moment with (fans) is incredible. Hopefully, I can continue to do it the rest of my career." Pujols is the fifth Cardinals player to reach 2,000 hits and the first since Hall of Famer Lou Brock did so on July 28, 1974. Brock reached the milestone against the Cubs' Oscar Zamora. Pujols joined Stan Musial (3,630), Brock (2,713), Rogers Hornsby (2,110) and Enos Slaughter (2,063). "What a great thrill to behold it," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "It's a great accomplishment this early in his career. I can't begin to describe it. I've tried but he's just a great, great player." Pujols is the 12th-quickest player to get to 2,000 hits, needing 1,650 games. If he remains healthy, Pujols is projected to be able to reach the even rarer 3,000-hit milestone in August 2016. "That's a long ways from now," Pujols said. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I don't like to think about numbers. Hopefully, 3,000 will be here before you know it, but it's a long way to 3,000 now." Pujols was happy just to celebrate 2,000. Rather than being doused with champagne, he was drenched with water by his young son, A.J. "I think it's pretty special to have my son come in here with a couple of bottles of water and spray it all over me," Pujols said. "It's something he'll remember hopefully for the rest of his life."