ATLANTA — Todd Helton’s 2,000th hit was indisputable.
The former University of Tennessee star lined a clean single to left-center field for the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, reaching the milestone one night after being denied on a contested ruling by the official scorer.
“I didn’t think about yesterday,” Helton said. “I was just thinking about getting a hit today. I’ll take what I can get.”
In the ninth inning of Monday night’s 5-1 Rockies victory, Helton hit a sharp one-hopper past Atlanta shortstop Yunel Escobar, but the play was scored an error on Escobar.
Rockies manager Hurdle disagreed with the ruling and called the press box to request a meeting with official scorer Jack Wilkinson. The two met briefly before Tuesday night’s game, but Wilkinson upheld his call even after watching a replay.
“I thought that was done very professionally and I shared my viewpoints with him — same thing I said last night,” Hurdle said. “He explained his viewpoints on it, and maybe I gave him a different perspective to look at it.”
Wilkinson declined to comment about the play. A former longtime sports writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he indicated that Major League Baseball officials didn’t want him making further comments about his rulings.
Helton finished 0 for 4 with an RBI on Monday night, keeping him at 1,999 hits — but not for long. He singled in the third inning Tuesday, becoming the 255th player to reach 2,000 hits and second in two nights.
Milwaukee catcher Jason Kendall accomplished the feat Monday night.
After going 1 for 3 in Colorado’s 8-1 loss to the Braves on Tuesday, Helton wasn’t exactly setting his sights on the coveted baseball milestone of 3,000 hits.
“Right now I’m thinking about 2,001,” Helton said. “They say the first 2,000 are easy. The third is the tough part, but I’m not worried about that now. I’m worried about beating the Braves tomorrow.”
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Comments » 7
panties4tebow writes:
Way to go former VOL!!!!!!!!!
vol4gzus writes:
I've left you alone in the past basically out of pity that someone could have such a sad existence. The fact that a former Vol(white at that) has reached a milestone brings your criticism is a shame. You say no big deal that he was #255 to do it right? How many years,how many players have played the game? Do the math Sir Einstein and being #255 is a great accomplishment. Ya know if ewe had done I would applaud you as well regardless of a man's color.
I hope one day you find the joy I have in Jesus that will let you be happy for anybody despite their skin color.
Congrats Todd for being a great representative for UT!!!
BigOrangeCrazy writes:
Congrats Todd, even if it was a error on the suck a*s Braves.
It goes in the record books as an hit.
GO METS!
BigOrangeJeff writes:
It seems that getting banned under at least three other user names, you would eventually get the hint.
Why don't you take your racist butt away, once and for all?
chad_t31 writes:
You're not even elite in your own family.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
Check your facts, idiots. 1109, or 55.4%, of Helton's hits have come at Coors Field - not a inordinately high percentage. OTOH, 78.3% of your posts have a racist bent.
Take your garbage and leave.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
Your race relations are about as good as your grammar and punctuation.
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