CHICAGO – Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong thought it was “cool” hitting the furthest pitch from the strike zone for a home run in MLB this season.

The high fastball, from Pittsburgh Pirates starter Andrew Heaney in the fourth inning on Thursday night, measured 8.1 inches above the edge of the strike zone, the furthest pitch outside the zone hit for a homer this year, according to ESPN Research.

Crow-Armstrong crushed it out to right field to break a scoreless tie.

“I’m just committing to being on time for it,” he said after the Cubs 3-2 win. “He has a good heater in a low slot. It presents itself with a lot of carry. I’m already thinking on top. Good to execute on a pitch like that.”

The two-run blast was Crow-Armstrong’s 18th of the season, all coming over the last two calendar months. He’s been a bad ball master this season, hitting them both above and below the strike zone for home runs.

“What you’ve seen in 30 years of baseball says it’s hard to hit balls for home runs,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s proving me wrong.”

In addition to hitting the high fastball off Heaney, Crow-Armstrong also has two of the five home runs hit in MLB this season on pitches at least three inches below the zone, including one that was 5.8 inches below in early May.

“Sometimes he hits them off the ground and sometimes he hits them over his head,” Cubs reliever Ryan Pressly said. “I don’t even know how to pitch Pete, to be honest with you.”

Crow-Armstrong is making a strong all-star case in his second full season in the big leagues. In addition to the 18 home runs, he has 21 stolen bases while playing gold glove caliber defense for the first place Cubs. That offense and defensive combination has vaulted him to the top of the National League in fWAR. But its those home runs which have been eye opening.

“He’s on time and that’s allowing his A-swing to get off,” Counsell said. “His A-swing can handle lots of pitches.”

Crow-Armstrong is tied for second in the NL in RBI with his teammate Seiya Suzuki, who also homered on Thursday. The two have been jockeying for the team lead in both categories. Suzuki has 17 home runs to Crow-Armstrong’s 18. Its created a fun rivalry between the two as they’ve been part of a dangerous trio, along with right fielder Kyle Tucker, in the middle of the Cubs lineup.

“What I’m doing is just contributing to the bigger picture,” Crow-Armstrong stated. “I’m still just trying to play my part because that’s what’s worked really well for us. On any given day I don’t have to be the guy. That’s the coolest thing ever.”