Rookie Yelich remaining even-keeled at plate

ATLANTA -- Calm and cool is how Christian Yelich approaches the game, so it is only natural that he has the same demeanor at the plate.

The 21-year-old Marlins rookie entered Saturday night's game with the Braves riding a nine-game hitting streak, and he is treating each day like the one before.

"I haven't really treated it any differently, my at-bats or approach," said Yelich, who extended the hit streak to 10 with a leadoff single off Braves lefty Alex Wood. "You just try to go up there and have a consistent approach, and you look to have a quality at-bat every time you're up there.

"At the end of the day, it will play out in your favor if you go out and do that. Obviously, it's not going to work out every time. But if you have good at-bats and swing at good pitches [to hit], good things will happen to you."

Easier said than done.

What makes Yelich so successful is his mechanics are very good. He has a picturesque swing from the left side, and he isn't bothered hitting in any count.

During his streak, which started on July 31, he has 15 hits, which is tied for the seventh-highest amount in the Majors.

Seattle's Kendrys Morales and Atlanta's Justin Upton each have 18 hits, the most since July 31.

"I try to have good at-bats," said Yelich, batting .405 in the streak.

Leading off, Yelich is seeing his share of pitches, and he has found himself in a number of full-count situations of late.

"Full-counts just happen," he said. "I don't really have an explanation for that."

The elite hitters have a way of producing with two strikes. Yelich says he is comfortable in those situations.

"You're going to hit with two strikes a lot here, because guys are pounding the zone, and they throw all their pitches for strikes," the rookie said. "If you're not comfortable hitting with two strikes, it's probably not a good thing. It doesn't faze me."