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David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer
NEW YORK — Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Max Muncy set a Major League Baseball postseason record when he reached base for the 12th consecutive time in a 10-2 victory over the New York Mets in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night at Citi Field.
Muncy broke the previous record of 10 with a fifth-inning walk and then extended the mark to 12 with a seventh-inning single before striking out in the eighth. The previous single postseason record of 10 was shared by Billy Hatcher with the Reds in 1990 and David Ortiz with the Red Sox in 2007.
Reggie Jackson also reached 12 consecutive times over two postseasons in 1977-78, a streak that included his three-homer game in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series and reaching base five times in the first game of the 1978 ALCS.
“It’s one of those things where I feel like I’m staying within myself and not trying to do anything too extraordinary,” Muncy said. “It’s allowed me to see the ball better and slow things down.”
Muncy said it’s not necessarily an easy thing to do — and “It’s probably hard to do right now. There are lot of things going on with the atmosphere, but you just try not to do too much.”
Muncy shifted from third base to first Thursday, filling in for Freddie Freeman, who was sidelined because of a sprained ankle that has affected him throughout the postseason.
Muncy sat out 80 games in the regular season because of an oblique strain. One of the most patient hitters in the majors since breaking out with the Dodgers in 2018, he’s hitting .296/.486/.667 in nine games this postseason. His home run in Game 3 was the 13th of his postseason career, tying Corey Seager and Justin Turner for the most in franchise history.
Muncy said he wasn’t aware of the record he set Thursday.
“Obviously, it’s pretty cool for me, getting things done, getting on base and giving my teammates a chance to drive me in,” he said.