NEW YORK -- After scoring 15 runs against the Phillies on Monday, the Royals had their hitting shoes on once again Tuesday -- this time against the Mets -- and won a slugfest, 16-12, at Citi Field.
It was a game that saw the Royals fall behind at both 3-0 and 9-4 margins in the early going, but right fielder Tyler Tolbert was the reason Kansas City was able to win its third straight game.
With five hits against the Mets, Tolbert tied an MLB record with a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances. He also shattered the previous Royals record of eight straight.
Only two other players had ever recorded this long a streak: Johnny Kling in 1902 and Walt Dropo in 1952.
“I’m truly lost for words,” Tolbert said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches. I kept saying, ‘God is good’ all the time. It hasn’t really hit me. Every at-bat, I’m just trying to do a job and execute the plan. It’s been fun. It’s been a journey of a ride. There is a lot of luck in some of those hits. It was just fun, honestly.”
Think about this: neither Willie Mays nor Hank Aaron ever came close to breaking such a record. The Royals informed Tolbert that some of his memorabilia, including his bat, is going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The way he looks at it, he has a piece of history that will be displayed in Cooperstown forever.
“When you say that, it’s amazing,” Tolbert said. “Anytime you get consecutive hits, it’s a good day. But this game is hard. You can do everything right and can still [make outs]. I know this game can humble you. That’s why you don’t get too high or too low. I take one pitch and one day at a time. I celebrate this until midnight and turn the page.”
After the game, the Royals had a champagne celebration in Tolbert’s honor. It was more than just what he did in the batter’s box. As described by his teammates, Tolbert’s work ethic is second to none and he always has a smile on his face.
He spent seven years trying to fight his way up Kansas City's farm system. He only had 92 Major League at-bats entering Tuesday and just 42 on the season. But he received the start because of injuries to Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia. Tolbert didn’t give up because of his faith and the belief in his ability.
“It couldn’t happen to a better human being,” said teammate Nick Loftin, who played with Tolbert in the Minor Leagues. “T works so hard. I've seen him work for six years now. All six years, I’ve seen him work really hard, grind. Just to see this happen, it’s just really special. He is a light in this clubhouse. He is positive, no matter what. Just seeing his performance shine on the field has been truly remarkable.”
The Royals also worked hard to take the lead. In the seventh inning, Kansas City broke a 9-9 tie off right-hander Matt Seelinger, who was taken to school in his Major League debut. After Lane Thomas led off with a walk, Salvador Perez doubled to left-center field, scoring Thomas and giving Kansas City a one-run lead.
Two batters later, Loftin added to the lead with a two-run homer. The Royals would add four more runs against Seelinger. In his second plate appearance of the inning, Thomas capped the scoring with a two-run double.
But Tolbert is the one who stood out for Kansas City. He entered the game with seven consecutive hits -- all coming against the Phillies.
Then came Tuesday night. In his first at-bat against Mets right-hander Kodai Senga, Tolbert hit a two-run homer to cut New York’s lead to 3-2.
“It didn’t settle things down, but it made it feel like things were going to be manageable,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But I couldn't be more proud of him, with the way he competes.”
Two innings later, he put himself in the team’s record books when he singled to right field. He later scored on a double by Thomas. Tolbert then used his plus speed to record infield hits in his next three plate appearances, tying the record. He also became the third player with consecutive five-hit games since at least 1900, joining Roberto Clemente (1970) and Hi Myers (1917).
Tolbert's run came to an end when he flied out to right field in the ninth inning against left-hander A.J. Minter to end the streak. Tolbert received a nice ovation from the Mets fans as he approached the dugout.
“I didn’t want to do too much,” Tolbert said. “Minter executed a pitch, and he broke the streak. He is a good pitcher. It is what it is. All I can do is just smile.
“I’m just grateful for the journey and opportunity. It was a fun ride.”