Ethier Falters In The Big Apple

Ethier began a new streak Sunday with
two hits in four at-bats.
(Ray Stubblebine/Reuters)

Los Angeles Dodger right fielder, Andre Ethier's pursuit of New York Yankee legend Joe DiMaggio's record 56-game hitting streak ended Saturday night in New York. It was the first game since the third of April Ethier did not record a hit. New York Mets rookie right-hander, Dillion Gee held the '10 All-Star's bat at bay having Ethier pop up to left fielder Jason Bay in the second inning with the bases loaded. That would be three of the five men left on base by Ethier in the game. Gee got only his eighth major league start due to injury former divisional rival San Diego Padres, Chris Young. Young was unable to get loose in the bullpen prior to the game giving way to Gee. The injury was unfortunate for Ethier who is a .414 career hitter off the Princeton graduate with 6 home runs and 10 RBIs.
    During the streak Ethier batted .400, but saw the Dodgers only go 13-17 in those 30 games. As for the Yankees during DiMaggio's record breaking streak in 1941, they would win 41 of the 56 games he hit safely in and the Yankee Clipper would bat .408. With Ethier's streak halted at 30 consecutive games, he falls one shy of the franchise record of 31 set by Willie Davis in 1969. The National League was set in 1897 with 45 straight games by Baltimore's Willie Keeler. Keeler's record stands at 45 straight games with a hit after he recorded a single the final game of 1896 season and streaked into the '97 season with 44 straight. The record for consecutive games in a single-season is a 44 held by Keeler and Pete Rose, who tied the record in 1978.
    In the last five years there has been four players including Ethier, who have reached 30 consecutive games with a hit only to have it end the next game. Ethier finished the game 0-4 with a walk and strike out. His final at-bat came in the 8th inning against veteran left-hander Tim Bydrak, where he struck out on a breaking ball out of the zone. It looked as Ethier might get another at-bat with the game tied at two in the bottom of the 8th inning, but rookie Justin Turner laced a two-run double giving the Mets the lead and eventual win.
    Ethier celebrated Mother's Day the right way going 2-4 with his fourth home run of the season in the 7th inning off knuckle baller R.A. Dickey. Ethier's two hits raised his season average to .371, third in the National league behind only St Louis's Matt Holiday and Lance Berkman. Ethier embarks on a new streak with his hits Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, and raises the question will DiMaggio's streak ever really be challenged?