Melky Cabrera’s 51 hits in May matches Giants record

Wait a minute, that can’t be right…I’m double checking Cap Peterson/Len Gabrielson monthly numbers.

Cabrera is surpassing everybody’s expectations in his first season with the Giants, putting up such sensational numbers in a San Francisco-record, 51-hit May that he’s now mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. He is drawing comparisons to Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn from his manager, too.

“Wow,” Bruce Bochy said. “That’s one of the most impressive months I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been in this game. That’s how good he’s been. He’s been a pleasure. Defensively, what he’s done with the bat, he’s been a machine this month. It’s hard to believe how many hits he’s gotten and how consistent he’s been.”

...Cabrera batted .429 in May with three homers, five triples, seven doubles and 17 RBIs. He hit safely in 25 of 29 games, getting a single in the eighth inning of Wednesday night’s 4-1 loss to Arizona for his 51st hit. That matched Randy Winn for most hits in a month since the club came to San Francisco in 1958.

...“It’s historic. It’s really amazing what he’s done this month,” Bochy said. “I don’t know if there was a better hitter during May. It’s been fun to watch him hit, fun to watch his overall play. ... He reminds me of Tony Gwynn. He takes what they give him, he doesn’t try to do too much up there. He has a calmness, there’s no panic in him even with two strikes. He’s just a great hitter.”