DETROIT _ For much of Shin-Soo Choo's on-base streak, he has been crushing the baseball or working a walk.
When he came to the plate Sunday against the Tigers with two outs in the top of the ninth his 46-game on-base streak on the line.
Choo, who was 0-for-4 leading up to the at-bat, only got his fifth at-bat because Ronald Guzman singled in front of him. Carlos Tocci struck out, making way for Choo, who fell behind 0-2 before tapping a dribbler to third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who did not attempt a throw.
Choo reached for an infield single to break a tie with Julio Franco and set a Rangers' record.
The Rangers won the game to split the four-game series 3-0 at Comerica Park.
"I think the dugout was more happy than myself," Choo said. "I'll give him a big hug and take care of (Guzman)."
Choo reached on an error in the second inning but that isn't included in the Rangers' on-base streak records.
Choo broke Franco's single-season Rangers' record set from July 28-Sept. 15, 1993.
It's the longest such streak in the majors this season and longest since the Reds' Joey Votto had a 48-game streak in 2015.
"I learned a lot from him. How he did it in the batter's box and how focused on every pitch. That's what I learned from him," said Choo, who played with Votto in 2013 before joining the Rangers.
The last longer streak in the American League was Kevin Millar's 52-game stretch for the Orioles in 2007.
The last time Choo didn't reach base at least once was May 12 when he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against the Astros in Houston. He struck out looking three times against Charlie Morton, who had 14 strikeouts that night.
Since May 13, however, Choo has 60 hits, including 12 home runs and 11 doubles, 41 walks and 26 RBIs in 46 games.
His batting average has risen from .239 (on May 12) to .294 before Sunday's game.
Choo's on-base percentage is .470 during the stretch and his .402 OBP is fourth in the AL. Choo is one of three players in the AL with minimum slash line of .290/.400/.500. The others: the Angels' Mike Trout and the Red Sox's Mookie Betts.
"To break that record would be great but as I've said many times, I'm just trying to help the team, especially in my job hitting in the leadoff spot," Choo said. "Wherever I hit (in the lineup), getting on base is always my goal, but especially hitting lead-off I feel even more that I have to get on base.
The past two games Choo hasn't waited long to extend his streak. On Friday he hit the second pitch of the game for a homer. On Saturday, he drove the first pitch off the wall for a double. Choo's previous single-season on-base streak was 28 games in 2007.
He also had a 35-game on-base streak that went from 2012 into 2013. Choo has downplayed the streak and said if lines out five times in a game, it's OK because he's hitting the ball hard.
"That's nice to do but I can't do it by myself. It's my teammates, how the game is going, the umpires. A lot of things help," he said. "These kinds of records the baseball gods give. So I'm not really thinking about it. I can't do it by myself."
The major league record for consecutive games on-base is 84 by Ted Williams in 1949.
