Astros' Altuve sets franchise record with 211th hit: Now 'people can stop talking about that'

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve likely breathed a sigh of relief after breaking Craig Biggio's franchise record for hits in a season Tuesday night, as the 24-year-old can now wrap up his superb campaign unfettered by distraction.

"I have to go out there and play and finish the season strong," Altuve told MLB.com after recording his 211th hit of the season. "We need to win a couple of more games to put ourselves in a good position, so it was good to get the 211th so people can stop talking about that and let's go out there and play."

Altuve emerged as one of the game's elite second basemen this season, leading the American League with a .343 batting average while collecting 52 stolen bases in 147 games. The diminutive Venezuelan also leads the majors with 64 multi-hit games while managing a minuscule 7.7 percent strikeout rate, the second-best mark in baseball.

Biggio established the previous franchise record of 210 hits back in 1998, when he finished fifth in MVP voting and helped lead the Astros to a division title.

"It's special for everybody, and for me because I've known Jose for a long time and I saw him start at the beginning," said interim manager Tom Lawless, a former minor league instructor with the Astros. "For me to witness that tonight is very special. I won't forget the night tonight. And I know he won't forget it. You may be in the game for the next 20 years and not see this again. That's how special it is."

Even Altuve, though, didn't anticipate the kind of success he has enjoyed in 2014.

"I know people are kind of surprised for my season, and I am, too," Altuve said. "I prepared myself every day and am working really hard. I'm not trying to overdo something, just do what I know to do. I don't want to waste any at-bats and fight every single at-bat, and that's been the key this year."