Rutledge goes 6-for-6, extends streak
The Rockies prospect went 6-for-6 to extend his hitting streak to a California League season-high 22 games Friday, helping the Modesto Nuts walk off with an 11-10, 13-inning victory over the Blaze.
Rutledge collected five singles and a double, stole a base, scored three runs and drove in a pair. He walked in his other plate appearance and is batting .454 (44-for-97) during the streak, which eclipsed the 21-game run of Rancho Cucamonga's Jake Lemmerman as the longest in the league this year.
A 2010 third-round Draft pick, Rutledge helped Modesto erase deficits of 4-0, 6-3, 8-7 and, finally, 10-8. He singled and scored in a three-run fifth, then drew a bases-loaded walk and came home again to cap a four-run sixth that gave the Nuts their first lead, 7-6.
With Modesto trailing again in the eighth, Rutledge doubled home Delta Cleary, who was hit by a pitch with two outs and stole second.
Bakersfield regained the lead in the 13th on Jorge Jimenez's two-run homer, his first in eight games this season.
Cleary again sparked the winning rally, this time drawing a one-out walk against Doug Salinas (4-2). Rutledge singled sharply to left field and Nolan Arenado followed with his 12th homer to give the Nuts their eight victory in nine games.
The six hits were a career high for Rutledge, who went 5-for-6 at Stockton on July 7 in the fourth game of the streak. The 22-year-old shortstop ranks fourth in the league with a .334 batting average, although two of the three players ahead of him -- Jedd Gyorko and Vinnie Catricala -- have been promoted to Double-A.
Rutledge has feasted on Bakersfield pitching, hitting .431 (25-for-58) with nine RBIs and 13 runs scored against the Blaze.
Leuris Gomez (3-2) retired the only batter he faced to get the win. Salinas also recorded just one out but was charged with three runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Daren Smith is an editor for MLB.com.