Joc Pederson is known to be one of the streakier hitters in all of baseball, but his current hot streak has been incredible even for his standards.
After missing Tuesday’s game due to minor injury, Pederson returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies with an active streak of four extra-base hits. It dated back to his game-winning home run in the 11th inning of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Pederson then homered twice and hit a double off the top of the wall in Monday’s contest against the Rockies before leaving with an abdominal injury that he suffered when colliding with the wall on a catch to rob Charlie Blackmon of a home run.
Pederson made a quick recovery and led off the bottom of the first inning with another home run. After a walk in his second plate appearance, Pederson hit yet another home run in the fourth inning to give him six extra-base hits in as many at-bats, with five of them being home runs.
While that streak came to an end when he struck out in the sixth inning, Pederson was still able to insert himself into the record books as he tied the National League record for most consecutive at-bats with an extra-base hit, which was set by Larry Walker in 1996.
The @Dodgers' Joc Pederson has 5 homers and a double in his last 6 at-bats.
The 6 consecutive at-bats with an extra-base hit ties the National League record set by Colorado's Larry Walker from May 21-22, 1996.#LABleedsBlue
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) September 5, 2019
Additionally, Pederson became the first player since Josh Hamilton in 2012 to hit five home runs in a six at-bat span.
.@yungjoc650 is the first player with 5+ HR in a 6-AB span in a single season since Josh Hamilton in 2012.
h/t: @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/79IUU7bN08
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) September 5, 2019
Pederson’s two blasts gave the Dodgers an NL record 250 this season. The all-time mark was previously held by the 2000 Houston Astros.
The 27-year-old is in the midst of a career season for the Dodgers, batting .245/.336/.535 with 32 home runs and 67 RBI in 129 games. He has led off eight different games with longballs throughout the year, which ties the franchise record that he set just a year ago.
“I’m seeing the ball well, taking good swings at pitches I can handle and hitting some balls off the barrel. That’s always a good sign,” Pederson said.
Pederson heating up at the plate is definitely a good sign for the Dodgers as they get ready for another potential World Series run. With everyone clicking on all cylinders, Los Angeles has one of the best and deepest lineups in all of baseball.
