Dickerson does it again: SD's HR streak at 24

TORONTO -- Alex Dickerson powered up once again Tuesday night at Rogers Centre as the Padres continued their march toward history, homering in a 24th consecutive game.
During their 7-6, 12-inning loss to the Blue Jays, Dickerson's three-run shot off Blue Jays righty Marcus Stroman put the Friars in a very exclusive club. They're only the sixth team in history to homer in 24 straight games, and the first since the 2002 Rangers ran their streak to 27 -- the all-time record.
"It's a fun thing to keep track of," the rookie left fielder said of the streak. "And it's showing that we're able to create quick offense on a consistent basis. We've just got to be able to string that together more often."
It marked the third straight day in which Dickerson himself extended the run -- although he waited until the eighth on Sunday and the ninth on Monday. The sixth-inning blast Tuesday made Dickerson the fifth Padres rookie in history to homer in three straight games -- and the first since Will Venable in 2009.
"The guy's always hit," Padres manager Andy Green said of Dickerson. "He's hit .300 every single place he's ever stopped. I don't think he expects to hit anything but .300. With the bat speed he has, with the approach he has, he's already getting better and better."
Dickerson left little doubt on Tuesday, launching the ball 435 feet, according to Statcast™, into the second deck in right-center field. It came one day after he reached rare territory in Toronto, going to the fifth level in right field.

Strangely enough, that big fly came 20 years to the day after Padres bench coach Mark McGwire also went to the top deck here -- and, like Dickerson, McGwire would homer the next day.
"Crazy coincidence," Dickerson said with a smile. "It's fun to dig back in the history of baseball."
The Padres plan to give Dickerson an increase in playing time after they traded Melvin Upton Jr. to the Blue Jays on Tuesday afternoon.
• Padres trade Upton Jr. to Blue Jays for prospect
Thus far, the Poway, Calif., native has rewarded their faith -- and in his eyes, that's largely a byproduct of the Major League opportunity he's been given.
"There's something about the big league game, as far as just the competitiveness about it," Dickerson said. "You're always playing to win. It's never like you see a situation where it's just part of development or anything. That's always struck really well with me. … I think that's a part of the game that's taking a little bit of the pressure off of me, because everybody is in this together."