Inbaseball, anextra-base hit (EB,EBH orXBH[1]), also known as along hit, is anybase hit on which thebatter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing anerror or opting to make a throw to retire anotherbase runner (seefielder's choice). Extra-base hits are often not listed separately in tables ofbaseball statistics, but are easily determined by calculating the sum total of a batter'sdoubles,triples, andhome runs.[2] Extra-base hits are particularly valuable because they ensure that there will be no runners on base that will beforced to advance on the nextfair ball.
Another related statistic of interest that can be calculated is "extra bases on long hits". A batter gets three of these for each home run, two for each triple, and one for each double. Thus, leading the league in "Most extra bases in long hits" is a significant accomplishment in power hitting.
The statistic Extra-Base Hits Allowed (for example by a pitcher or by the fielding team in general) is denoted by the abbreviationXBA.[1]
The record for most career extra-base hits is 1,477, held byHank Aaron.[2] Among players with at least 1,000 career hits,Mark McGwire is the only one to have had at least half of his hits go for extra bases.[3]
There have been 15 instances of a player recording 100 extra-base hits in a single season;Lou Gehrig,Chuck Klein andTodd Helton are the only players to have achieved this twice, with Helton the only one to do so in consecutive seasons.[4]
The top 5 are as follows: (totals are current through the end of the 2025 season)[5]
The modern-era record for most extra-base hits by one batter, in one game, is five, held by 16 different players, includingLou Boudreau,Joe Adcock,Willie Stargell,Steve Garvey,Shawn Green,Kelly Shoppach,Josh Hamilton,Jackie Bradley Jr.,Kris Bryant,José Ramírez,Matt Carpenter,Alex Dickerson,Luis Urías,[6]Adolis García,[7]Shohei Ohtani, and most recently,Nick Kurtz. Adcock, Green, Hamilton, and Kurtz did so while hittingfour home runs.[6] In the postseason,Albert Pujols,Hideki Matsui,Bob Robertson,Frank Isbell andEnrique Hernández have all recorded four extra-base hits in a game.[8]
Paul Waner (1927) andChipper Jones (2006) jointly hold the longest hitting streak for extra bases. Both players recorded extra-base hits in 14 consecutive games.[a][9]
The Boston Red Sox recorded 17 extra-base hits in a 29–4 victory against the St. Louis Browns in 1950.[10] In the postseason, the team single game record for extra-base hits is 13, by the New York Yankees against the Red Sox in game 3 of the2004 ALCS.[11] Two teams have 9 extra-base hits in a World Series game, namely the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates (in game 7 vs the Washington Senators) and the 2007 Boston Red Sox (game 1, vs the Colorado Rockies).[11]
The 2003 Boston Red Sox had 649 extra-base hits, the most by one team in a single season.[12][13]