MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins designated hitter Jose Miranda set a team record Friday night with hits in 10 consecutive plate appearances.
Miranda eclipsed the mark of nine hits in a row set by Tony Oliva in 1967 and matched by Mickey Hatcher in 1985 and Todd Walker in 1998. Oliva still spends time with Twins players throughout the season, lending extra meaning to the accomplishment, according to Miranda
“I talk to him a lot. It means a lot,” Miranda said. “You know, he’s a Hall of Famer, so you break a Hall of Famer’s record, it’s something pretty cool, I think.”
The major league record for consecutive hits is 12, by Detroit’s Walt Dropo (1952), Boston’s Pinky Higgins (1938) and the Chicago Cubs‘ Johnny Kling (1902).
Miranda, 26, entered the game against the Houston Astros — a 13-12 loss — with hits in six straight trips to the plate and had hits in each of his four times up before he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.
“I’ll come to the field tomorrow, do my stuff in the cage, get ready for the game, get ready for the pitcher I’m facing tomorrow,” Miranda said. “Then … you take it pitch by pitch and try to have a good at-bat.”
Miranda finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was batting .296 entering Wednesday night’s game when the streak began and has raised his average to .324.
He singled in the second inning and hit a 414-foot homer to left field in the third. Miranda tied the Twins’ record of nine straight hits with a two-run double in the fifth. He had his 10th straight hit — a single to right field — in the seventh.
With the Twins trailing 13-5 in the ninth, Austin Martin hit for Miranda and singled.
Source: www.espn.com