Article on Chris Valaikas 26 game hitting streak

Valaika extends hit streak to 26
Singles in first inning as Mustangs edge Owlz
By Marissa Rega / Special to MLB.com

Chris Valaika extended his hitting streak to 26 games and Daniel Dorn smacked a two-run triple Saturday as the Billings Mustangs edged the Orem Owlz, 5-4, at Cobb Field.

Valaika went 1-for-4 with a single in the first inning. The 21-year-old shortstop is batting .352 during the streak with four homers, nine doubles, a triple, 32 RBIs and 22 runs scored. He leads the Pioneer League with 70 hits.

The streak is one game shy of the longest in the Minor Leagues this season. Jorge Cortes of Double-A Corpus Christi and Darnell McDonald of Triple-A Durham each hit in 27 consecutive games.

With the Owlz leading, 4-2, in the seventh, Justin Tordi scored on a wild pitch by reliever Felipe Arredondo (4-2) and Dorn tripled to right field to put the Mustangs in front.

Reliever Kevin Gunter (3-1) got the win after allowing one run on two hits over four innings with two strikeouts and a walk. Joshua Roenicke struck out two in a scoreless ninth to pick up his third straight save. Billings (15-6) swept the four-game series and extended their winning streak to seven.

Jason Louwsma hit an RBI single and Valaika scored on a wild pitch by starter Kenneth Herndon in the first to put the Mustangs ahead, 2-0.

Scott Knazek delivered an RBI single in the second and slugged a solo homer in the fourth as the Owlz (12-4), who have dropped four straight, took a 4-2 lead. Luis Rivera singled in a run in the third and Tadd Brewer added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

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