HOUSTON -- It was the first time Astros manager A.J. Hinch had seen outfielder Norichika Aoki smile in quite some time.
With a single in the sixth inning, Aoki got his 2,000th career hit between MLB (716) and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league (1,284), granting him immediate entrance into the Meikyukai, or "Golden Players Club" -- one of two Japanese baseball halls of fame.
Each player who gets into the Meikyukai is gifted an honorary jacket. Aoki was given his jacket by Tokuhiro Komada, who flew in from Japan as a Meikyukai representative for Aoki's induction, shortly after the Astros' 12-6 loss to the Angels on Sunday.