Choo celebrates birthday by extending hitting streak

ATLANTA -- Reds centerfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the first inning on Saturday, doesn't call a lot of attention to himself, unless you want to talk about his play.

Fittingly, he did not go out of his way to announce that Saturday was his birthday. Teammate Todd Frazier isn't as modest and made an announcement to the team.

Choo waved his cap and joked to a group of teammates sitting on the couch, "Don't guess my age."

He's 31.

Oddly, for a guy who was born in July, Choo has seen next to no action on his birthday, as the game against the Braves was only the second time he's played on July 13. Last year was the first time in his eight-year career that he suited up on his birthday.

The big 30 wasn't exactly kind to Choo, as Cleveland lost, 1-0, in Toronto, and Choo went 0-for-4.

Choo didn't waste time making year No. 31 better, as smacked singles to center off Atlanta starter Mike Minor in each of his first two at-bats, the second driving in a run. He came into the game hitting .405 during the first 10 games of his hitting streak.