David Dahl Hits in 17th Straight Game, Ties MLB Record

David Dahl has officially written his name into the Colorado Rockies and Major League Baseball record books.

Colorado’s rookie outfielder slapped a 3-2 pitch from Texas Rangers starter Lucas Harrell into right field in the first inning of Thursday’s matinee in Arlington, giving him a hit in 17 straight games to open his Major League Baseball career. The single snapped the franchise tie he had held with Juan Pierre, who hit in 16 consecutive games as a Colorado rookie in 2000.

Heading into Thursday’s action, Dahl was batting at a .365 clip (23-of-63) with a double, three triples, three homers and 9 RBI. He is also the second player in Rockies history to record three triples within his first 16 career games, joining Roberto Mejia who accomplished the feat in 1993.

During his incredible streak, Dahl had scored 16 runs and walked three times as well.

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According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Dahl’s career-opening hit streak is the longest for any active player. He’s now tied for the longest-ever MLB streak with Cincinnati’s Chuck Aleno, who hit in 17 games in May of 1941.

Dahl had his contract purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 25 and made his Major League debut in a start in left field at Baltimore. The 22-year-old recorded his first career hit in the seventh inning, a single off Orioles starter Yovani Gallardo.

Since then, Dahl has hit … and hit … and hit. He recorded his first homer two days later, taking a homer to straight center off Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy.

One of the amazing things about Dahl’s hitting has been his flair for hitting to all fields. Check out this spray chart and you can see that Dahl isn’t going to be flustered by a shift. He has already shown the ability to hit where the fielders aren’t.

“Things are just kind of rolling together now,” Dahl told me recently. “I’m just trying to not let it be too big of a moment. I’m just having fun and enjoying this.”

The Rockies are enjoying having Dahl as a part of the team right now as well. With Trevor Story out of the lineup thanks to season-ending surgery and Carlos Gonzalez missing another game on Thursday with an ankle injury, David Dahl and a red-hot Nolan Arenado have been have solidified the middle of the Colorado batting order.

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Dahl’s hitting streak comes at a time when the Colorado Rockies desperately need some good news. Losers of five of their past six games heading into Thursday, the Rockies are hanging on to a slim hope of a 2016 postseason. However gloomy things may be at the moment, however, Dahl, Story, Tyler Anderson, and other Rockies rookies are giving fans optimism for the rest of the season and beyond.

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