Mejia's epic streak ends, then extends to 50
Official scorer changes controversial error call after game to keep run alive for Indians prospect
From ended to extended.
Francisco Mejia's historic hitting streak had come to an end at 49 games after the Indians prospect went 0-for-4 in the Class A Advanced Lynchburg Hillcats' 7-5, 10-inning loss to Winston-Salem on Saturday. But then the epic run was resuscitated when word came -- over an hour after the completion of the game -- that the official scorer had changed a controversial call from an E5 to a double.
After fouling out to first in his first at-bat, the 20-year-old Dominican reached base in the third inning when he dribbled a grounder to third base. The ball rolled under the glove of Dash third baseman Gerson Montilla, who was charged with an error that fans and broadcasters alike questioned. But the call stood until after the game ended, with Mejia's streak seemingly over.
The Hillcats issued the following statement after the game:
"After reviewing additional data and watching video of the play, the official scorer decided to rule Mejia's batted ball in the third inning a double. The video review showed that the ball was struck far enough away from the backhand of the third baseman (Montilla) and hit with enough force and topspin to prevent Montilla from making the play with ordinary effort. Based on this, the official scorer changed the error to a hit."
- Indians' Top 30 Prospects list
There was plenty of drama surrounding Mejia after the controversial third-inning call, even before the call was changed.
Mejia struck out in the fifth, and when he grounded out in the seventh with the Hillcats trailing, 4-3, there was no guarantee that he would bat again. But after Winston-Salem added another run in the top of the eighth, Lynchburg scored a run in the bottom half, sending five batters to the plate and leaving Mejia due up fourth in the bottom of the ninth.
A one-out single sandwiched between a fly out and a strikeout brought Mejia to the plate with two outs in the ninth. A wild pitch moved the tying run into scoring position, and with a 2-2 count, Mejia narrowly avoided being hit by a pitch, pushing the count full. The 3-2 offering then missed low, all but ending any of hope of Mejia extending his streak.
- Gameday: Winston-Salem 7, Lynchburg 5
The Hillcats did tie the game and force extra innings when the next batter, Bobby Bradley, flared an RBI single to center, but the Dash responded with two runs in the top of the 10th, and the Hillcats went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the frame.
Mejia's streak is now tied for the fourth-longest in Minor League history and is the longest since Roman Mejias hit in 55 straight for Waco in 1954. Mejia, the Indians' No. 4 prospect, passed Jack Ness and Harry Chozen, who hit in 49 straight games in 1915 and '45, respectively, and tied Otto Pahlman (1922).
Mejia has posted a .386/.414/.599 slash line with 15 doubles, two triples, eight homers and 42 RBIs during his streak, which started on May 27 and has lasted two and a half months.
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Longest Minor League hitting streaks
| Player | Games | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Wilhoit | 69 | 1919 |
| Joe DiMaggio | 61 | 1933 |
| Roman Mejias | 55 | 1954 |
| Francisco Mejia | 50 | 2016 |
| Otto Pahlman | 50 | 1922 |
| Jack Ness | 49 | 1915 |
| Harry Chozen | 49 | 1945 |
| Johnny Bates | 46 | 1925 |
| James McOwen | 45 | 2009 |
| Brandon Watson | 43 | 2007 |
| Eddie Marshall | 43 | 1935 |
| Orlando Moreno | 43 | 1947 |
| Howie Bedell | 43 | 1961 |
| Jack Lelivelt | 42 | 1912 |
| Herbert Chapman | 42 | 1950 |
| Ducky Detweiler | 40 | 1942 |
| Frosty Kennedy | 40 | 1953 |
The MiLB hit streak record is 69, set by Joe Wilhoit in 1919. Joe DiMaggio, whose big league record hit streak of 56 games is being celebrated for its 75th anniversary this season, had a 61-game Minor League hit streak in 1933, second-longest of all-time.
Perhaps most impressive in Mejia's run is how he has hurdled major obstacles that could've potentially led to a hitless night.
Mejia was promoted to Lynchburg 24 games into the streak, and he has had three layoffs of four days or more during his incredible run: four days due to the Midwest League All-Star Game on June 21, in which he fittingly registered a hit; four days due to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 10, in which he also recorded a hit; and he was sidelined from July 18-22 while dealing with the stomach flu. He then played in just one game in the six-day period from Aug. 6-11 due to a combination of off days and illness.
Mejia also blocked out the commotion that surrounded him for several days as the Trade Deadline approached.
- Cut4: 5 facts about Mejia's amazing hitting streak
Two days before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, Mejia, the Indians' No. 4 prospect, was the centerpiece in a proposed deal between the Indians and Brewers that would have sent him and two more of Cleveland's Top 30 Prospects -- shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang and outfielder Greg Allen -- along with reliever Shawn Armstrong to Milwaukee for catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The deal was nixed the day before the Deadline, though, when Lucroy exercised his no-trade clause.
And adding to the marvel, Mejia has been his team's catcher in 40 of the 50 games, while serving as the designated hitter in the others.
Here is a look at how Mejia has kept his streak alive in all 50 games:
50 -- Aug. 13: Double in second at-bat (3rd inning) vs. Winston-Salem
49 -- Aug. 12: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) vs. Winston-Salem
48 -- Aug. 9: Double in first at-bat (1st inning) at Potomac
47 -- Aug. 5: Double in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Salem
46 -- Aug. 4: Double in fifth at-bat (9th inning) at Salem
45 -- Aug. 3: Single in second at-bat (3rd inning) vs. Potomac
44 -- Aug. 2: Single in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Potomac
43 -- Aug. 1: Single in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Potomac
42 -- July 30: Single in second at-bat (5th inning) at Winston-Salem
41 -- July 29: Single in third at-bat (7th inning) at Winston-Salem
40 -- July 28: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) at Winston-Salem
39 -- July 26: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Wilmington
38 -- July 25: Single first at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Wilmington
37 -- July 23: Grand slam in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Carolina
36 -- July 17: Single in first at-bat (1st inning) at Wilmington
35 -- July 16: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Wilmington
34 -- July 13: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) at Carolina
33 -- July 8: Single in fourth at-bat (7th inning) vs. Salem
32 -- July 6: Single in second at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Frederick
31 -- July 5: RBI single in fourth at-bat (7th inning) vs. Frederick
30 -- July 4: Single in second at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Frederick
29 -- July 3: Single in second at-bat (4th inning) vs. Carolina
28 -- July 2: Triple in third and final at-bat (6th inning) of at Carolina
27 -- July 1: Double in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Carolina
26 -- June 30: Double in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Carolina
25 -- June 29: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Wilmington (first game for Lynchburg)
24 -- June 26: Single in first at-bat (3rd inning) vs. Great Lakes
23 -- June 25: Single in first at-bat (3rd inning) vs. Great Lakes
22 -- June 24: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Great Lakes
21 -- June 19: Single in third at-bat (7th inning) at South Bend
20 -- June 18: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) at South Bend
19 -- June 17: Single in second at-bat (4th inning) at South Bend
18 -- June 16: Double in third at-bat (6th inning) at South Bend
17 -- June 15: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Bowling Green
16 -- June 15: Double in first at-bat (1st inning) at Bowling Green.
15 -- June 13: Two-run homer in first at-bat (1st inning) at Bowling Green
14 -- June 12: Single in fourth and final at-bat (7th inning) vs. Great Lakes
13 -- June 11: Home run in first at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Great Lakes
12 -- June 10: Home run in first at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Great Lakes
11 -- June 9: Single in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Lansing
10 -- June 8: Home run in second at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Lansing
9 -- June 7: Home run in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Lansing
8 -- June 5: Single in fourth at-bat (7th inning) at Great Lakes
7 -- June 4: Single in second at-bat (3rd inning) at Great Lakes
6 -- June 3: Single in first at-bat (2nd inning) at Great Lakes
5 -- June 2: Single in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Bowling Green
4 -- June 1: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) vs. Bowling Green
3 -- May 29: Single in first and only at-bat (2nd inning) vs. Fort Wayne
2 -- May 28: Triple in first at-bat (1st inning) vs. Fort Wayne
1 -- May 27: Single in third at-bat (6th inning) vs. Fort Wayne
Daniel Kramer is a reporter for MLB.com based in Denver. Follow him on Twitter at @DKramer_. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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