Freddie Freeman Reaches Career Milestone in Dodgers' Rout

Freddie Freeman notched his 2,500th major-league hit in the Dodgers' 12-3 win against the Pirates on Tuesday.

Freeman's run-scoring single into shallow center field carried weight in the context of his long and decorated career.

He entered Tuesday two hits shy of the milestone. His first hit, a double roped into the right-field gap, set him up to score the tying run in the sixth.

The Dodgers had trailed since the first inning, but eventually, the script flipped.

Only 101 other players have achieved the milestone, according to Baseball Reference. Freeman leads all active players in hits.

Freeman made sure to get the ball and the lineup card, and when asked if he wanted his bat authenticated, he said he'd hold on to it.

The future Hall of Famer isn't really a memorabilia collector, but for this one, he wanted to keep the memories.

The Dodgers raised clear plastic glasses to Freeman in a toast after the game, and manager Dave Roberts chimed in with: "You better get 500 more!"

Freeman chuckled and said: "We'll hopefully start that tomorrow."

Freeman reflected on his career, saying: "It means a lot... to play at a high level over many, many years to get there, it does mean a lot."

He also said: "If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I probably would have brushed it off and kept going, but as you get older, you do get more emotional and sentimental."

The Dodgers began chipping away at their deficit right away, with a leadoff double from Mookie Betts, a single from Max Muncy that moved him to third, and a sacrifice fly from Kyle Tucker to the edge of the warning track in the second inning.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers needed a little good fortune to tie the score in the sixth inning. Freeman was standing on third with two out when Muncy stepped up to the plate and sent a spinning one-hopper to the right side of the infield.

The funky bounce tripped up second baseman Brandon Lowe, who couldn't adjust quickly enough to glove the ball that bounced over him, into shallow right field for a game-knoting single.

Roberts said of Pirates reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes: "He's as tough as they come, to get him out of the game after the sixth inning was a big feat."

As the skies darkened and a swift downpour swept through the ballpark, both teams turned to their bullpens.

Freeman's achievement is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport.

The Dodgers will look to build on their win as they continue their season, with Freeman leading the charge.

Freeman's 2,500th hit is a milestone that will be remembered for years to come, and he will continue to be a key player for the Dodgers.

The game was played on Tuesday, and the final score was 12-3 in favor of the Dodgers.

Freeman's hit total now stands at 2,500, and he will look to add to that number as the season progresses.