Kang Jung-ho has become the first Asian shortstop to hit 20 homers in a Major League season.

Kang of the Pittsburgh Pirates belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh during a home game against the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

It was his first homer in nine days and the 20th of the season.

With the homer, the 29-year-old Korean slugger set the record of becoming the first Asian infielder to hit 20 homers in a season. Before him, Tadahito Iguchi from Japan came closest to the record with 18 homers when he was playing as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox in 2006.

With seven games left in the regular season, Kang is seeking to break the career high of 22 homers in a season by a Korean slugger, set by Choo Shin-soo in 2010.