Freddie Freeman had a first-inning walk and third-inning home run Wednesday against the Nationals to set an Atlanta franchise record by reaching base in 12 consecutive plate appearances, a streak that was snapped when he grounded out in the sixth inning.
Freeman broke the record previously held by Jeff Burroughs in 1978.
He had three homers, two doubles, two singles and five walks during the streak, and Freeman's two-out solo homer in the first inning off Joe Ross landed in the water feature beyond the center-field fence, the first ball to get wet there through six games at SunTrust Park. Freeman was about the only bright spot for the Braves in a 14-4 loss.
“What he just did was pretty unbelievable,” Braves right fielder Nick Markakis said of the streak. “You don’t see that too often. I mean, that just shows you what kind of player he is and what kind of presence he is at the plate. He’s pretty amazing at what he does. He’s got his own little unique way of doing it and it works pretty damn well for him.”
Freeman added an RBI single in the eighth inning to raise his robust season marks to a .440 batting average, .533 on-base percentage and .920 slugging percentage.
He’s 17-for-29 (.586) in his past nine games with four doubles, six homers, eight walks and a .676 OBP and 1.345 slugging percentage, one of the hottest stretches of his career.
“I would have to say so,” Freeman said. “I can’t tell you what clicks; it has. I don’t really want to figure it out. I don’t want to think I’ve figured it out and then all of a sudden it’s gone. So I’m just trying to hit a soft line drive at the shortstop, just trying to use my hands, and good things are happening.
“I’ve been swinging at strikes and taking balls. When I’ve been laying off pitches, taking inside pitches really well, and that’s a key for me – they try to pound me in and I try to push them back away. I think I’ve been doing a pretty good of that so far.”
