Flashback: Pedro Martinez joins 3,000-strikeout club
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CINCINNATI - SEPTEMBER 3: Pitcher Pedro Martinez #45 of the New York Mets pitches against the Cincinnati Reds on September 3, 2007 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pedro Martinez recorded his 3000th strikeout during this game. (Photo by Thomas E. Witte/Getty Images)
Where do you begin when mentioning Pedro Martinez's accomplishments?
Three Cy Young awards, five ERA crowns, three strikeout titles, eight All-Star appearances and 219 career wins are a few of the highlights.
And on this date in 2007, Martinez collected his 3,000th career strikeout. Pitching for the New York Mets, Martinez fanned Cincinnati Reds right-hander Aaron Harang to reach the milestone. It was Martinez's first start of the season after recovering from shoulder surgery.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Martinez, whose major-league career spanned 18 seasons, retired after the 2009 season with 3,154 strikeouts, which is good enough for 13th on the all-time list.
He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer -- getting 91.1 percent of the vote -- and was inducted into Cooperstown this past July.