Jackson reaping rewards of aggression on basepaths

NEW YORK -- Give Austin Jackson credit: When it was suggested to him that he looks more aggressive on the basepaths in recent days, he was aggressive with a quick retort.

"I think it's just more excitement, being happy that I got a hit," Jackson said with a smile.

He is definitely hitting for better contact. Thursday marked his third consecutive multihit game after going a month and a half without two such efforts in a row. Just as impressive, though, has been the way he has attacked the basepaths on his hits.

Jackson saw second base from the outset in the 14th inning on Wednesday before aggressively taking third on Torii Hunter's ensuing flyout to right. He stretched out a triple to left-center, his first triple since July 10, on Thursday, then dared New York's Curtis Granderson to try to throw him out on a two-out ground ball to left-center on Friday night.

Eventually, he admitted that he's looking for extra bases out of the box rather than simply reacting.

"Really, I think I'm trying to be aggressive on a ball in the gap or down the line," he said. "I'm trying to go around first with the intent to get to second."