Records (we\u2019re talking vinyl; here) have two-sides.\u00a0 Yesterday (April 8, 2019), a couple of MLB hitting records were broken or tied \u2013 and they were, figuratively, on both sides of the offensive album.\u00a0 On one side, the Orioles\u2019 Chris Davis<\/strong> <\/span>set a new record for futility in the batter\u2019s box, while on other side the Mariners’ Edwin Encarnaci\u00f3n<\/strong><\/span> tied an MLB record for success beyond the reaches of the ball field.<\/p>\n

Photo by Keith Allison<\/a> <\/a><\/small><\/p><\/div>\n

Let\u2019s start with Davis. Yesterday, Davis went zero-for-five, with two strikeouts, as the Orioles pounded out 15 hits in a 12-4 thrashing of the A\u2019s in Oakland.\u00a0 In the process, Davis set a new MLB record for consecutive at bats without a base hit at 49 (and still counting).\u00a0 Davis\u2019 streak started after the second inning of a game on September 14, 2018 (when he doubled off James Shields). Since then, he has played in another 14 games, collected 32 plate appearances and 49 at bats \u2013 with no hits, six walks, 29 strikeouts, one run and two RBI.\u00a0 As Sonny and Cher might sing on vinyl \u2013 \u201cAnd the streak goes on.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Last season, Chris Davis set the MLB record for the lowest batting average by a player qualifying for the batting title, when he hit .168 (79-for-470).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To be fair, Davis is also one of only 29 MLB players to hit 50 home runs in a season. In 2013, Davis hit .286, and led the AL with 53 home runs and 138 RBI.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The previous record of 46 consecutive at bats without a hit was held by Eugenio V\u00e9lez \u2013 who went hitless from a game on July 20, 2010 until his final MLB game on August 20, 2011.\u00a0 Over that time, V\u00e9lez played in 29 MLB games, getting 52 plate appearances, 46 at bats) \u2013 with no hits, three walks and 12 whiffs. \u00a0He did score one run and drive in one. V\u00e9lez started his streak as a Giant and it ended as a Dodger.\u00a0 (Well, it didn\u2019t really end, V\u00e9lez\u2019 streak was still active when he was released by the Dodgers.\u00a0 He has since played in the U.S. Minor Leagues, the Dominican Winter League, The Mexican League and Mexican Pacific Winter League \u2013 but has not made it back to the majors. In 2018-19, he went a combined .281-1-9 in 27 games in the Dominican and Mexican Winter Leagues.\u00a0 Maybe someone should give the 36-years-old another shot at extending or breaking the streak.<\/p>\n

____________________________________________<\/p>\n

Now, for the other side of the record book.<\/p>\n

Photo by james_in_to<\/a> <\/a><\/small><\/p><\/div>\n

Yesterday, the Mariners’ Edwin Encarnaci\u00f3n\u00a0hit his third and fourth home runs of the 2019 season. For the day,\u00a0Encarnaci\u00f3n\u00a0was two-for-four with two runs scored and four RBI. Of importance is the fact that they both came in the sixth inning of Seattle’s 13-5 win over the Royals. \u00a0Of, perhaps, even more importance is that it was the second time in his career that Encarnacion has gone deep twice in one inning.\u00a0 And, that ties an MLB record.\u00a0 Fifty-six different players have hit two home runs in one MLB inning (MLB.com) \u2013 but only five players have accomplished the feat twice.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

A few other two-home run inning tidbits:<\/p>\n

\n
• Fernando Tatis<\/strong> <\/span>of the Cardinals is the only player to hit two Grand Slams in one inning<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 the third frame of a Cardinals’ 12-5 win over the Dodgers on April 23, 1999. Maybe a greater surprise is that Dodgers’ starter Chan Ho Park was on the mound for both long balls.<\/li>\n
• On May 2, 2002, as the Mariners beat the White Sox 15-4, Seattle’s Brett Boone<\/strong><\/span> and Mike Cameron<\/strong><\/span> both hit two home runs in the first inning. It\u2019s the only time two teammates have hit two home runs in an inning in the same game<\/strong><\/em> – and they did it back-to-back. Boone was hitting third and Cameron fourth.<\/li>\n
• Only three players have hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same inning<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0 Carlos Baerga<\/strong><\/span>, Indians (versus Yankees) \u2013 April 8, 1993; seventh inning; Mark Bellhorn<\/strong><\/span>, Cubs (Brewers) \u2013 August 29, 2002; Fourth inning; and Kendrys Morales<\/strong><\/span>, Angels (versus Rangers) \u2013 July 30, 2012; sixth inning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Primary Resources:\u00a0 MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Baseball-Reference.com<\/em><\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

  BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST<\/strong><\/p>\n

  <\/a>Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs.\u00a0 To see the full list, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

  I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT<\/h3>\n

  Follow\/Like Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0 More baseball commentary; blog post notifications; PRIZES.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

  Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Records (we\u2019re talking vinyl; here) have two-sides.\u00a0 Yesterday (April 8, 2019), a couple of MLB hitting records were broken or tied \u2013 and they were, figuratively, on both sides of the offensive album.\u00a0 On one side, the Orioles\u2019 Chris Davis set a new record for futility in the batter\u2019s box, while on other side the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n