Tyler Tolbert’s night at Citi Field ended with a flyout to right, but by then he had already carved out a place in MLB history.
The Royals outfielder tied the league record with a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances during Kansas City’s wild 16-12 win over the Mets, matching a mark shared with Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. Tolbert also became the first player since Clemente in 1970 to put together back-to-back five-hit games.
After the game, Tolbert called the stretch "something I'll never forget. All I can do is smile and be grateful for the opportunity."
Kansas City’s comeback made the record chase even louder. The Royals were down 9-4 going into the fifth inning, then ripped off five runs in the fifth and seven more in the seventh to flip the game on its head in an interleague matchup. The win also handed the Mets their second loss in 204 games in which they scored at least 12 runs.
Tolbert’s streak reached 12 with an infield single off reliever Matt Seelinger (0-1), who allowed seven runs on 52 pitches. Before that, his fourth-inning single to right off Kodai Senga - his 10th straight hit - set a Royals franchise record.
"This was a crazy game," Tolbert said. "It was really fun. Our offense was relentless.
"We just kept hittin'."
The 25-year-old has quickly become a favorite in the Royals’ clubhouse, and his teammates made sure he felt the moment as it unfolded. Tolbert said, "They got my back and I got their back," after watching them rise from the bench to celebrate his run.
His path to this point hasn’t been smooth. Tolbert was optioned to Triple-A Omaha earlier this season, then fought his way back to Kansas City and kept producing.
Over his last three games, he has lifted his batting average from .200 to .396. In 48 big-league at-bats this season, he has posted a .976 OPS.
With the All-Star break ahead, Tolbert suddenly has something every player wants: momentum, confidence, and a little bit of history.
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