ANAHEIM -- Paul Konerko's 2,000th career hit wasn't completely spoiled by the fact that the Chicago White Sox lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

It's not how Konerko would have drawn up the occasion of the milestone, but there was some solace to the fact that the RBI single did have an impact as it tied the game in the eighth inning of an eventual 5-4 Angels victory.

"It's cool; it falls in the category of something you'll enjoy more when you're done playing," Konerko said. "I'm glad it came when it was a meaningful hit in the game. It was a hitter's hit. It was a good hit, a line drive to right, like my first hit. It was cool, but there's another fight tomorrow."

Konerko was removed for pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge after the single and received a warm ovation from fans of both teams. The Angels did not announce the milestone but had put on the videoboard before the hit that he was one away from 2,000.

"Awesome, my god, and the way he got it too," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He means a lot to White Sox organization and baseball as one of pure hitters in baseball. There is nothing better for the White Sox than to see him get 2,000 hits."

The moment made Konerko think about others who have reached milestones beyond his.

"When you get a hit like that, the first thing you think of is how the hell did Pete Rose get 4,000 hits?" Konerko said. "That's the first thing, or (Derek) Jeter (getting 3,000). You do this from the time you're a kid, you have a wife and kids, it just seems like you do it your whole life, and for someone to have 1,000 more hits or 2,000 more, it just seems like those guys are good, good."

Now that he has 2,000 hits, his next milestone is 400 home runs. With just seven more homers, Konerko will become just the sixth active player with both 2,000 hits and 400 home runs.

"I'm one of those guys where round numbers are nice and all, but you're always thinking about the next one," Konerko said. "It would have been nice to win, but it wasn't in the cards."

Doug Padilla covers the White Sox for ESPNChicago.com.