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05/31/2007 10:51 PM ET
Hilligoss extends streak -- and then some
Charleston leadoff hitter homers, smacks four hits in win over Columbus
Mitch Hilligoss extended the longest hit streak in the Minors since Las Vegas' Joey Cora in 1989. (Charleston RiverDogs)

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Mitch Hilligoss didn't just extend his hitting streak to a legendary 37 games Thursday, he did so with authority.

One day after taking outright possession of the South Atlantic League record on a bunt single, Hilligoss pounded out a season-high four hits to tie the longest hitting streak in the Minors since Joey Cora went on a 37-game run for Triple-A Las Vegas in 1989.

In doing so, he helped lead Charleston past visiting Columbus, 6-2.

After biding his time until his fifth at-bat in each of the past two games, Hilligoss wasted little time by belting his first home run of the season in the first inning.

"That was really great for two reasons," said Hilligoss. "One, I didn't have to think about it for the rest of the night, and two, it got us off to a great start.

Streaking in the Minors
The longest hitting streaks in Minor League history:
#
69
61
55
50
49
49
46
44
43
43
43
42
42
40
40
38
37
37
37
36
Player
Joe Wilhoit
Joe DiMaggio
Roman Mejias
Otto Pahlman
Jack Ness
Harry Chozen
Johnny Bates
Jim Oglesby
Eddie Marshall
Howie Bedell
Orlando Moreno
Jack Lelivelt
Herbert Chapman
Lorenzo Gray
Frosty Kennedy
Hubert Mason
Mitch Hilligoss
Joey Cora
Bobby Trevino
Bill Sweeney
Team (League)
Wichita (WL)
San Francisco (PCL)
Waco (BSL)
Danville (III)
Oakland (PCL)
Mobile (SA)
Nashville (SA)
Los Angeles (PCL)
Milwaukee (AA)
Louisville (AA)
Big Spring (LHL)
Rochester (IL)
Gadsden (SEL)
Edmonton (PCL)
Plainview (WT-NM)
Binghamton (EL)
Charleston (SAL)
Las Vegas (PCL)
El Paso (TL)
Baltimore (IL)
Year
1919
1933
1954
1922
1915
1945
1925
1933
1935
1961
1947
1912
1950
1982
1953
1925
2007
1989
1969
1935

"I worked on a few things [Thursday] in the batting cage. I was a little anxious the last couple of games, but with a left-hander out there I wanted to make some adjustments."

Next up on the all-time Minors hit list for the 21-year-old third baseman is Hubert Mason, who hit in 38 straight games for Double-A Binghamton in 1925.

After hitting his third career homer, Hilligoss doubled and stole his eighth base in the second, singled in the fourth and ripped an RBI base hit in the eighth. It was the second career four-hit game for Hilligoss, who accomplished the feat in his very first professional game with Class A Short-Season Staten Island on June 20, 2006.

RiverDogs starter Grant Duff (6-4) allowed one run on two hits while striking out eight in six innings. Paul Patterson yielded one run on five hits in 2 2/3 innings before Luke Trubee retired the final batter in the ninth for his first save for Charleston (28-26).

Matthew Fields delivered an RBI double in the fifth and Eduardo Nunez had a run-scoring single in the seventh for the Catfish (35-19).

Columbus starter Ryan Morse (3-3) surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in six frames. He fanned nine and walked two.

Marc Jimenez is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.