SEATTLE — Jason Kipnis closed out the month of May in an appropriate way Sunday afternoon, with two doubles in the Cleveland Indians’ 6-3, 12-inning win over the Seattle Mariners.
It marked the 16th time in 29 games in May that Kipnis had multiple hits, and he finished the month with a franchise-record 51 hits. Aside from Kipnis, only the Texas Rangers’ Prince Fielder, with 46, had more than 40 hits among American League players in May.
The two doubles gave Kipnis 15 in May, the most by an Indians player in a month since the Jeff Heath had 15 in September 1942.
He also drove in a run, his 17th of the month, and scored his 30th run of May in the 12th inning.
“To get 50 hits is a lot of hard work coming to fruition,” Kipnis said. “A lot of work in the batting cage. The 30 runs is a lot of help from my teammates, who were able to drive me in. A credit to them.”
Kipnis had a .429 batting average in May, the best in the AL, to go with three triples and four home runs.
“It was a fun month, not only for me but for the team,” he said early Sunday evening, after the Indians outlasted Seattle.
On the morning of May 1, Kipnis woke up with a .218 batting average. He will enjoy the Indians’ off day on June 1 with a season average of .340. Quite a month, indeed.
“I’ve told you guys (in the media) before: I can get hot with the best of them, (and) I can get cold with the best of them, too,” he joked.