▲ In this Associated Press photo, Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays (R) follows through on a single against the New York Yankees during the top of the sixth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Yankee Stadium in New York on June 14, 2022. (Yonhap)
▲ In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Choi Ji-man (L) reacts during a chat with first base umpire Cory Blaser during the bottom of the fourth inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Yankee Stadium in New York on June 14, 2022. (Yonhap)

MLB-hitter

Rays' Choi Ji-man extends hitting streak to 12 games with single off Cole

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Choi Ji-man has extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games, thanks to a single off an ace pitcher he has long dominated.

Batting cleanup, Choi went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 2-0 loss to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Tuesday (local time).

That lone hit came against Yankees starter Gerrit Cole, against whom Choi has been a primary nemesis in recent years. Choi entered the game having batted 8-for-16 with three home runs, three doubles, five walks and eight RBIs against the right-hander.

Cole struck out Choi on a 99.6 mph fastball in the first inning and then got the South Korean looking at a 3-2 changeup for another strikeout.

In the sixth, Choi got an infield single off Cole, as his hit streak reached a dozen games.

Choi grounded out to first against reliever Michael King in the eighth inning.

Choi is now batting .283/.369/478 for the season. He is tied with Randy Arozarena for the team lead with 31 RBIs, despite playing in 17 fewer games than the outfielder with 42.

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