CHICAGO -- Blue Jays infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. achieved something Sunday that had not been done in nearly half a century, turning in his 11th consecutive multi-hit game by going 3-for-5 in Toronto's 7-4 win over the White Sox. With three singles, he became the first to accomplish the feat since Tony Perez in 1973, and is tied with Perez for the longest such streak in the last 50 years.
The 24-year-old Gurriel had to leave the game in the ninth inning, however, with a left knee contusion and sprained left ankle sustained when he landed awkwardly while trying to avoid a tag at second base. X-rays came back negative after the game, and Gurriel will get MRIs on both his knee and ankle Monday in Oakland to further evaluate soft tissue.
The product of Cuba previously set the Blue Jays record (10 games) for the same streak, and he has at least one hit in each of his last 17 starts. During his 11-game streak, he is batting .521 (25-for-48) with three doubles, three homers and nine RBIs. Rogers Hornsby holds the longest streak on record (since 1908), with multiple hits in 13 consecutive games way back in 1923.
Gurriel immediately fell to the ground in obvious discomfort on the play in the ninth inning, and he remained there for several minutes before being helped off the field with Blue Jays trainers under each of his arms.
"It looked like it was something very serious, but he's moving around OK, considering [how it looked]," Blue Jays manger John Gibbons said. "He'll get checked out and then we'll have a better idea. I'm sure it will tighten up on him and swell up on him. I think it's already swelling around his ankle. It's unfortunate."
"It's terrible," Blue Jays starter Ryan Borucki said of Gurriel's injury. "I've played with him for the last three years. He is such a good -- not just a good baseball player -- but he's a better guy. It was so exciting for him to get that third hit, and to see him go down is a big loss. Hopefully everything is OK and hopefully he'll be back on the field soon."