![Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer (7) connected with the ball for a base hit allowing Minnesota Twins designated hitter Robbie Grossman (36) to score in the first inning. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com Game action from an MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox Saturday, April 15, 2017 at Target Field in Minneapolis. All players on both teams wore number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. ORG XMIT: MIN1704151408370755](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/OUDSU77RND3K4CGN7SICE4ZMCQ.jpg?&w=1080)
Statistically Speaking
Another indication of the growing prevalence of strikeouts: Eight of the longest strikeout streaks in Twins history have come in the past four seasons. Most consecutive games with at least one whiff:
21 Byron Buxton, 2015
19 ByungHo Park, 2016
18 Miguel Sano, 2015
17 Miguel Sano, 2016
17 Chris Colabello, 2014
17 George Mitterwald, 1971
16 Miguel Sano, 2016
16 Brian Dozier, 2015
16 Joe Mauer, 2013
16 Tim Laudner, 1984
Entering Saturday, Joe Mauer needed only four hits, walks or hit by pitch to become the Twins' second-most-frequent player to reach base, surpassing Kirby Puckett. The Twins' all-time leaders, with hits, walks and HBP:
3,072 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Harmon Killebrew (1,713, 475, 38)
2,810 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Kirby Puckett (2,304, 450, 56)
2,805 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Joe Mauer (right) (1,679, 867, 21)
2,718 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Rod Carew (2,085, 613, 20)
2,613 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Kent Hrbek (1,749, 838, 26)
2,424 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Tony Oliva (1,917, 448, 59)
1,856 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Justin Morneau (1,318, 501, 37)
1,784 <CHARENTITY>7</CHARENTITY>Chuck Knoblauch (1,197, 513, 74)
The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year pleaded for accountability, saying players need to be benched if they don’t give their all on defense.
