A grand for Bregman: Astros' 3B gets 1,000th career hit

CHICAGO -- Astros third baseman Alex Bregman became the 14th player in club history to reach 1,000 hits with a bloop single to right field in the sixth inning of Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Bregman, who began the day hitting .202, was two hits shy of 1,000 and singled to right field in the first inning for hit No. 999. After striking out looking in the third, he dumped a 3-2 sinker from Cubs starter Javier Assad into right field for a single. The ball was retrieved by the Astros' dugout.

“It’s pretty cool,” Bregman said. “Obviously I would have rather just won the game today, to be honest. I’m just focused on that. It’s been awesome and hopefully 2,000 more.”

The player immediately ahead of Bregman on the Astros’ all-time hits list is Ken Caminiti with 1,037. Bregman, who Houston took with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, has reached 140 hits in a season five times in his career, including 163 last year, when he appeared in 161 games. His career high for hits in a season is 170 in 2018.

Bregman has begun this year in a slump, snapping an 0-for-17 funk in Wednesday's loss to Chicago with a single. He’s still searching for his first home run of the season. This week’s series at Wrigley Field gives Bregman games in all 30 current Major League parks.