Nolan Arenado's hitting streak over at 28 games, Rockies fall to Reds
Nolan Arenado's 28-game hitting streak concluded with an 0-3 performance on Friday. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The longest hitting streak in the majors this season is over, as Nolan Arenado went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout against the Reds, his first game in over a month without a hit. At 28 games, Arenado's streak was the longest in Rockies franchise history, breaking Michael Cuddyer's record of 27 games set last year, and the longest in the majors since Denard Span also reached 28 last season. No hitter has cracked the 30-game mark since 2011, when both Dan Uggla (33 games) and Andre Ethier (30) reached that plateau. The longest hitting streak in the last 10 years belongs to Jimmy Rollins, who reached 38 games in 2005. Of course, the MLB record belongs to Joe DiMaggio, which stands at 56.
It should come as no surprise that Arenado finally went hitless considering his opposition on Friday: Johnny Cueto. The Reds' right-hander came into the night's action with an MLB-best 1.31 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 4.1 hits per nine. He backed up those stellar numbers with yet another strong start, limiting the Rockies to two runs over eight innings, giving up just two hits and a walk, striking out eight. That start had Cueto in line for the win, but Jonathan Broxton blew the save in the ninth after walking Arenado and giving up an RBI double to Justin Morneau. Cincinnati would prevail, however, on a walkoff solo shot by Joey Votto in the bottom of the ninth.
As for Arenado, his hitless night was his first since April 8 against the White Sox. Since then, Arenado had picked up 40 hits in 111 at-bats, including 11 doubles and four home runs, for a slash line of .360/.383/.568. He was within an at-bat of losing the streak earlier in the week, going hitless in his first three plate appearances against Texas on May 6 before ripping a double that landed on the foul line in leftfield. But Arenado didn't come close to picking up a hit on Friday, as he struck out in his first at-bat in the second inning, swinging through a Cueto fastball, then grounded out to first base in the fourth and popped out to first in the sixth.
In Arenado's final at-bat of the night, he fell into an 0-2 hole against Broxton and came perilously close to striking out on a slider in the dirt, but first-base umpire Brian O'Nora ruled Arenado checked his swing. Given a second chance, the third baseman battled back, ultimately drawing a walk to set up Morneau's game-tying double. But any chance at a hit in extras melted away on Votto's game-winning blast.
