A.J. Pierzynski’s 2,000th hit will make him rarity among catchers
Atlanta catcher A.J. Pierzynski is one hit away from joining an exclusive club among major league backstops.
He collected three hits on Friday night in a loss to the New York Mets at Turner Field and now stands at 1,999 hits in his career. His 2,000th hit could come Saturday night when the teams meet again at 7:10 p.m. ET, and it’s the MLB Free Game of the Day here on Yahoo Sports. You can stream it live (and did we mention for free?) on Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index and video home. 
[The White Sox turned the craziest triple play you’ll ever see]
The list of catchers with 2,000 hits in a career reads like a list of some of the best to ever play the position. Ivan Rodriguez tops the list with 2,844. Others on the list include Ted Simmons, Carlton Fisk, Yogi Berra, Mike Piazza, Gary Carter, Johnny Bench and Jason Kendall.
Pierzynski is 39 and is off to a solid start this season hitting .256/.326/.282 with four RBI on a club with the worst record in baseball going into Saturday. The Braves have lost three straight and stand 4-12, with three of those four victories coming on the road.
Pierzynski might not be behind the plate as Atlanta starter Jhoulys Chacin takes the mound against Steven Matz. Chacin and Pierzynski have been bright spots in what is shaping up as a dismal season in Atlanta. Chacin has a 2.38 ERA but hasn’t factored in a decision yet this season.
[Jacoby Ellsbury stuns Rays with straight steal of home]
He will need to be at his best against a New York lineup that is produced 21 home runs in the past seven games, a Mets’ franchise record. Meanwhile, no one is hitting the ball out of the park for Atlanta. The Braves have hit just three home runs all season and haven’t hit any in the past 11 games.
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Kyle Ringo is a contributing writer to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
