"That's some fun significance," Carpenter joked about the milestone afterward.
The golf cart that Carpenter will soon get wasn't the drive behind his power surge, but it will be a tangible reminder of his ability to remold himself this season. In a year Carpenter has called his most frustrating because of extended slumps, increasing strikeout totals and a period of extreme fatigue, he has still asserted himself as the team's top run producer.
Not only did Carpenter become the club's first to hit 20 homers, but he also leads the Cardinals with 69 RBIs, 53 extra-base hits and 78 runs scored.