McNeil hitting streak reaches 30 games

Erie's Jeff McNeil matched the 5th-longest hitting streak in league history, reaching 30 games, and took over the lead in the DMBL batting race in process.

It was the longest hitting streak in the DMBL since Morgan Ensberg's record 38-game streak in 2006 with Marietta, surpassing Buster Posey's 28-game stretch in 2018, also for Marietta.

The Snowwolves have the three longest hitting streaks in DMBL this season: McNeil (30), Adolis Garcia (22) and rookie Steven Kwan (21).

McNeil's 30-game run tied Delino DeShields who did it 25 years ago with Carolina. By the end of the 30-game stretch, the Long Beach, Calif. native found himself atop the batting race at .334, overtaking Tucson's Harold Ramirez, who held the lead at the All-Star Break. McNeil also took over the league lead in hits (131), from teammate Yandy Diaz, and doubles (36).

Over the 30 games, McNeil hit .432 (51-118) with 14 doubles, 6 HR and 19 RBI, splitting time between 2B and OF. He got on-base at a .468 clip and slugged .703. Generally batting 2nd against right-handers and 5th versus lefties, he recorded 6 3-hit games and had at least 2 hits in exactly half of the 30 games.

The streak began on June 11 at Green Lake and ended on Friday night (July 19 game) in Arkansas. He enjoyed an off day after two games with a hit, then reeled off hits in 6 more games before two more off days for the Snowwolves. Maybe it was his all-star selection that motivated him (he also had a hit in that game) because McNeil collected 10 hits in the 6 games ahead of the All-Star Game break, at which point his streak had reached a modest 14 games. After the break, the 31-year-old ripped off another 13 games with a hit without an off -day, hitting .423 (22-52) over the stretch and reaching 27 games. He would get another hit in each of the three games against Marietta before the streak ended against Arkansas. He was the final batter in a 9-1 loss and popped out to short.

Only a few more games and McNeil could have put himself in even more exclusive company among the DMBL's longest hitting streaks:

1. Morgan Ensberg, Marietta, 2006, 38 games
2. Ichiro Suzuki, Phoenix, 2005, 33 games
3. Jim Eisenreich, Newark, 1997, 32 games
4. Edgar Renteria, Tijuana, 2004, 31 games
5. Jeff McNeil, Erie, 2023, 30 games
6. Delino DeShields, Carolina, 1998, 30 games
7. Buster Posey, Marietta, 2018, 28 games
8. Juan Soto, Livingston, 2021, 26 games
9. David Ortiz, Hoboken, 2013, 26 games
10. Trea Turner, Tucson, 2021, 25 games
11. Jose Altuve, Tucson, 2015, 25 games
12. Dee Gordon, Hillsborough, 2016, 25 games
13. Josh Hamilton, Bridgewater, 2011, 25 games
    Italics = active player

Erie was 40-29 (.580) before McNeil's streak and 57-42 (.576) after the streak ended. The Snowwolves still lead the Jeter Division by 2 games over Blue Ridge and currently hold the No. 4 seed for the postseason.