Cuddyer extends hitting streak to Rox record 24 games

DENVER -- Michael Cuddyer etched his name into Rockies history Thursday at Coors Field, dropping a single into shallow center field in his first at-bat to extend his hitting streak to a franchise record 24 games.

Cuddyer's hitting streak is not only a career high, but also the longest in the Major Leagues this year.

While Cuddyer was proud of the achievement, it was undoubtedly soured by coming in a 3-2 loss to the Mets.

"Anytime you can put your name in any type of record book, it is a good thing," said Cuddyer, who finished 3-for-4 with three singles. "I would trade it for a win, though."

The hit came on a 92-mph fastball from Mets starter Jeremy Hefner to lead off the second, and Cuddyer eventually scored the Rockies' first run during a two-run inning to put Colorado up, 2-0.

Since the hitting streak began May 28, Cuddyer is hitting .390 (39-for-100) with five homers, five doubles and 16 RBIs. He also has 11 multihit games over that stretch.

"He's a very smart hitter," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He understands [pitch] sequences, he's very good at thinking along with the pitcher and he might sit on a pitch. So he's got a good idea when he steps in the box.

"It's a pretty simple approach at the plate. He's the type of hitter that gets his bat on plane early and stays in the zone, and those guys give themselves a pretty good chance to succeed."

The previous record of 23 games was held by former slugger and current hitting coach Dante Bichette, a streak that ran from May 22-June 18, 1995.

"It's a really difficult thing to do, put together that type of hitting streak, and it looks like he's still going strong," Weiss said. "It's been good to watch."