Dylan Rock fell short of setting a professional baseball record Friday, going without hitting a home run in his ninth consecutive game.
The outfielder had one last chance in the ninth to hit a record home run, but he hit a grounder back to the pitcher for an out. He batted 0-for-3 with an RBI, walk and strikeout in the Lexington Legends’ 8-7 defeat versus the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the independent Atlantic League.
Rock became the fifth player in pro baseball history to hit a home run in eight consecutive games during Thursday’s 11-10 loss to the Charleston Dirty Birds, going deep in the first inning off pitcher David LeBron. His streak began June 18 versus the Gastonia Ghost Peppers.
Three players have hit eight consecutive home runs in MLB history: Ken Griffey Jr. with the Mariners in 1993, Don Mattingly with the Yankees in 1987 and Dale Long with the Pirates in 1956. In the minors, Texas Rangers prospect Justin Foscue hit eight straight across the rookie Arizona Complex League and the high Single-A level in 2021.
Rock came into Friday’s game batting .267/.372/.544 with 11 doubles, 13 homers, 31 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
He was the Toronto Blue Jays’ eighth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Texas A&M. In his lone season with the Aggies, he hit .318/.468/.641 with 19 homers, 65 RBI and 16 stolen bases. He played his previous four college seasons at UTSA.
The 26-year-old played for three seasons in the Blue Jays’ organization, spending last year with high Single-A Vancouver before he was released in July after batting .184/.292/.272 in 75 games. He played 33 games for Double-A New Hampshire in 2023.
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