Maddux reaches 3,000-strikeout milestone

Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux became the 13th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, retiring San Francisco's Omar Vizquel to reach the milestone.

The 39-year-old right-hander retired the Giants' left-handed batter on a called third strike to end the third inning and walked off the mound to a standing ovation from the home fans at Wrigley Field.

Maddux sent down Vizquel with his trademark strikeout pitch, a fastball tailing over the inside corner of home plate.

The four-time Cy Young award winner was the second man to reach 3,000 career strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 career walks, his 892 giving him the best walk to strikeout ratio of anyone in the group.

Maddux was the first to record both his 3,000th strikeout and 300th win against the same team, his 300th victory coming last August to become the first National League pitcher to accomplish the feat since Steve Carlton in 1983.

Maddux is attempting to win at least 15 games for the 18th season in a row. He is 8-7 with a 4.55 earned-run average in 21 starts this season and owns a career mark of 313-181 with a 3.00 ERA in 629 games with the Cubs and Atlanta.