NEW YORK — History was made at Citi Field on Tuesday night, but you had to look all the way down to the bottom of the batting order to find it.
Kansas City Royals right fielder Tyler Tolbert tied a Major League Baseball record by recording a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances, anchoring a massive offensive explosive that carried the Royals to a wild 16-12 comeback victory over the New York Mets.
Batting ninth, the second-year player put on an absolute clinic. Tolbert kicked off his historic night with a two-run home run in the second inning, followed by a string of singles in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings—the last three of which were gritty infield hits.
When Tolbert leg-chasingly secured his fifth hit of the night in the seventh, the Citi Field scoreboard flashed a graphic celebrating the historic feat. The young outfielder grinned as he turned back to first base, meeting an ovation from the remaining crowd of 32,734 and a wall of applause from his teammates lining the dugout steps.
With the performance, Tolbert joins an ultra-exclusive club, matching a record set 124 years ago by Chicago’s Johnny Kling in 1902 and later equaled by the Detroit Tigers’ Walt Dropo in 1952. The incredible streak began Saturday night against Philadelphia when Tolbert went 2-for-2 before being pulled for a pinch-hitter. He followed that up Monday night by going 5-for-5 with his first homer of the year while starting at shortstop.
The history-tying streak finally came to an end in the ninth inning when Mets reliever A.J. Minter got Tolbert to fly out.
A Modern Slugfest
Tolbert’s historic night was the centerpiece of a chaotic, high-scoring affair that saw the Royals roar back from a 9-4 deficit.
Kansas City initially chipped away at the lead with a five-run fifth inning to tie the game, before absolutely exploding for seven runs in the seventh. The damage was done against Mets reliever Matt Seelinger (0-1), who endured a rocky Major League debut.
The Royals’ offense was a complete team effort, with every single starter recording at least one RBI except for Jac Caglianone. Outfielder Lane Thomas was a major catalyst alongside Tolbert, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while Tolbert himself finished 5-for-6 with four runs scored and two RBIs.
The loss was a historical anomaly for the Mets. Entering the night, the franchise was a staggering 200-1 when scoring 12 or more runs in a game. Their only other such loss occurred on May 24, 2022, in a 13-12 defeat against the San Francisco Giants.
On the Mound and at the Plate
It was a night to forget for both starting pitchers. Royals starter Seth Lugo was hit hard, yielding a career-high nine runs (six earned) over just 4 1/3 innings. Reliever Beck Way (1-0), the fourth pitcher utilized by Kansas City, earned the win after getting the final two outs of the pivotal seventh inning.
Despite the loss, the Mets’ offense showed plenty of spark. Rookie A.J. Ewing had a perfect night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and four runs scored, reaching base safely in all five of his plate appearances. Superstar Juan Soto also provided fireworks, launching his 20th home run of the season—a towering three-run shot.
Up Next
The teams wrap up their series on Wednesday night. The Royals will roll out a bullpen game, using right-hander Steven Cruz (2-2, 5.08 ERA) as an opener. The Mets will counter with right-handed starter Christian Scott (2-1, 3.49 ERA).
