NEW YORK (AP) — Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game Friday night, putting the Cincinnati Reds star within one of the major league record.
Votto hit a 2-0 pitch from New York Mets reliever Drew Smith over the center-field fence at Citi Field to give the Reds a 3-1 lead.
Votto, serenaded with chants of “Over-rated!” earlier in the evening, seemed to enjoy a leisurely trot around the bases before he flexed and pointed to the name on the back of his uniform while nearing the Cincinnati dugout.
The six-time All-Star and 2010 NL MVP became the eighth player to homer in at least seven straight games and first since Kendrys Morales did it for the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2018. Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993) are the only players to go deep in eight consecutive games.
Griffey and Votto were teammates with the Reds from 2007-08.
Votto has nine homers and 15 RBIs during his streak, which began last Saturday and includes just one hit that wasn’t a home run — an infield single against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
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