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Robinson Cano extended his career-high hitting streak to 21 games with a first-inning double to left field on Wednesday. It also stretched the Majors’ longest active run and is the most by a Yankee since Derek Jeter’s 25 from August 20-September 16, 2006. Cano is also eight games from matching Joe Gordon’s franchise record for a second baseman (29 set in 1942).

Cano is batting .402 (33-for-82) with six homers and 20 RBIs during this run, with at least two hits in 11 of the 21 games. Joe Girardi discussed the streak before Wednesday’s game as one that’s fun to see and far from a surprise.

“I’m excited about it now,” Girardi said. “I mean, 20-game hit streak, it means that he’s being productive. As far as how far it goes, I really haven’t thought too much about that. I think all of us expect Robbie to put good at-bats every day. When he does that, he’s going to get his base hits. So him hitting in 20-straight games doesn’t really surprise me.”

Cano currently leads all Major League second basemen with 21 homers and 55 RBIs. When he reached the 20-homer plateau for the fourth consecutive season he tied Alfonso Soriano, Bret Boone and Lou Whitaker for the second-most career 20-homer seasons among AL second basemen behind Gordon’s seven.

As long as Cano keeps this going, attention among the national media will gradually increase, but it’s something Girardi believes he’s equipped to handle.

“I think he’s pretty carefree,” Girardi said. “I don’t think he would focus on it yet. If it got to be way up there, I think every player, no matter how carefree you are, you’d focus on it a little bit because you’d be asked questions. But right now I don’t think he thinks much about it.”

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