Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield has started the 2019 season the way he finished the 2018 season: Hitting the baseball at least once in every game. Merrifield hit at least once in the last 20 games of 2018 and on Monday tied the club record by hitting safely in the tenth game of the current season.
As with most batting-related records in Kansas City, the streak mark was the property of George Brett, who set it in 1980. Merrifield was tied with Brett for exactly one day, as he made it 31 today against Seattle.
And how did he do it? With a man on third and two outs and his team down by one, Merrifield laid down a perfect third-baseline bunt that not only broke Brett's streak, it scored the run to tie the game. It's an excellent way for Merrifield to make his mark. He began his major league career as more of a utility infielder but has through hard work and patience worked himself higher and higher in the lineup and into a role as a top hitter.
And knowing what kind of ballplayer Brett was, it no doubt pleases him also to watch the record fall in this fashion.
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