ST. PETERSBURG -- Twins second baseman James Dozier has hit safely in all 14 of the Twins' games this year (and 21 games overall, dating to the close of last season). He extended the streak with a sharp sixth-inning single to left field against the Rays in Friday night's 8-7 loss in 10 innings at Tropicana Field, finishing 2-for-5 on the night.
"It's good to get hits,'' Dozier said. "You want to make them count."
Saturday night, Dozier can tie the club's all-time record for a hitting streak to start a season (15 straight games, achieved by Kirby Puckett in 1994 and Josh Willingham in 2012).
"If I ever got a streak up to, say, 45 games, then it would mean something,'' Dozier said. "I try not to get caught up in streaks, but with social media these days, nothing can escape you.
"I'm more interested in having a good approach, putting together some good at-bats. Whether you get hits or not, that's how you establish consistency in baseball.''
Twins manager Paul Molitor said he has been pleased with Dozier's approach.
"Even though it has been hard for everybody with the [poor] weather, he has done a great job of taking a high percentage of good at-bats,'' Molitor said. "He hasn't gotten off to the best starts in recent history. But this season, he's taking his walks, mixing in some hits and he has been very competitive in his at-bats.''