DENVER -- Until the last couple of games, Jordan Walker seemed like a one-man hit parade, often among few highlights in a dark stretch of games to open the Cardinals¡¯ season. But Walker had plenty of company in a celebratory clubhouse when he tied a record that has stood for over a century in Wednesday¡¯s 7-4 series finale win in Colorado, recording a hit in each of his first 12 consecutive games to begin his big league career.

Walker waited until the ninth inning, driving a hard broken-bat grounder past the sliding shortstop and into left field for a leadoff single to extend his streak to the record dozen. Walker later came around to score on a Paul Goldschmidt double down the left-field line, adding to the two-run lead the Cards had taken in the eighth on Nolan Gorman's go-ahead homer.

¡°That¡¯s special,¡± manager Oliver Marmol said. ¡°You take it how you can. You can care less how he got that hit, but it's been fun to watch. He's done a really nice job. He is battling a little bit of altitude here, kind of not feeling 100 percent, but he still was able to give us that last at-bat, so that was good.¡±

Walker joins Eddie Murphy of the 1912 Philadelphia Athletics as the only AL/NL players since 1900 to accomplish the feat before their 21st birthday. Walker began the series in Colorado by passing Hall of Famer Ted Williams for second on the all-time list, and he can take sole ownership of the record when the Cardinals return home Thursday.

¡°I'd be lying to say it wasn't cool,¡± Walker said. ¡°Even if it isn't my main focus right now, it is still pretty cool to know I have that accomplishment.¡±

Walker is also tied with the Phillies¡¯ Bryson Stott for the longest active hitting streak in the Major Leagues this season. The 20-year-old is showing remarkable composure, taking his historic streak in stride.

¡°Honestly, I¡¯m just doing my job,¡± Walker said. ¡°Especially if I'm the one leading off the inning. I know no matter what, I got to get on base. And so in a lot of these late-inning rallies, I¡¯m just like, 'Let me just put something up the middle, put something in the hole.' I was a little out in front, but I¡¯m glad I could get it to the outfield, get on base for our heavy hitters.¡±

Walker already holds the Cardinals' rookie record for a hitting streak to open a career, having passed Magneuris Sierra on Monday, and he¡¯s nearly halfway to the Cards rookie record for any hitting streak, set by current Cardinals bench coach Joe McEwing with a 25-game streak in 1999.

Needless to say, Cards fans have been thrilled by Walker's 12-game career and will be eager to welcome him home as the team takes on the Pirates at Busch Stadium.

¡°I'm glad they're following, for sure,¡± Walker said. ¡°It's been pretty cool. I'm mostly just glad that we won these last two and we're getting into our groove a little bit.¡±

The longest streak to open a career by a player of any age is 17, shared by David Dahl with the Rockies in 2016 and Chuck Aleno with the Reds in 1941.