WASHINGTON (AP) — The New York Mets scored so many runs in the 12th that by the time the game was over, it was hard to remember how many innings it went.
“It was a really competitive ballgame the whole way through, and then we kind of broke it open there in the 12th,” infielder Brett Baty said. “The 12th, right?”
After trading leads with the Washington Nationals for 11 innings, the Mets scored 10 times in the 12th on their way to Monday night. It was the most runs by a team in an extra inning since the Texas Rangers scored 12 in the 15th in a 16-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on July 3, 1983.
The inning actually began with a sacrifice bunt, moving the automatic runner to third. That was the only batter Washington reliever Paxton Schultz retired. Carson Benge, who has the go-ahead swing in three extra-inning wins in the last six days, hit a comebacker that glanced off Schultz’s glove for an RBI infield single.
A single by Bo Bichette and an intentional walk to Juan Soto loaded the bases, then Vidal Bruján popped up a safety squeeze and the bunt landed in front of a diving Schultz for another infield hit that made it 8-6.
Baty added a two-run single, Marcus Semien brought in another run with a single, and then the Nationals waved a white flag of sorts by moving Jorbit Vivas from third base to the mound to pitch.
There was a lengthy delay as umpires tried to determine if the move was legal — it was — and then the Mets went right on hitting. A.J. Ewing added an RBI single, and three batters later Benge came up again and doubled home two runs. Bichette then hit a two-run double that made it 16-6.
Bichette had gone without an extra-base hit since April 28, but he hit a solo homer in the seventh and a double in the 12th.
The Mets have won six of seven and they’re 11-5 in May. They’re also 6-4 in extra-inning games, having played more than any other team this season.
By the time this one was over, everyone was having a hard time remembering all the details. Baty was asked about throwing out a runner at home from first base — but the play in question happened in the 10th, an inning before he moved from third to first.
It was Mark Vientos who threw home for that force play with the bases loaded to keep the game tied. Then both teams exchanged runs in the 11th.
Washington left 19 runners on base, the most in the majors this year.
Finally the Mets took a lead the Nationals couldn’t come close to matching. And after 4 hours, 8 minutes, it ended.
“Really long game, but we battled,” Baty said.
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