Extra-base hit
in baseball, a hit that allows the batter to advance beyond first base
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner (see fielder's choice). Extra-base hits are often not listed separately in tables of baseball statistics, but are easily determined by calculating the sum total of a batter's doubles, triples, and home runs. Extra-base hits are particularly valuable because they ensure that there will be no runners on base that will be forced to advance on the next fair 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 abbreviation XBA.
Major League Baseball leaders
Career
The record for most career extra-base hits is 1,477, held by Hank Aaron. 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.
Season
There have been 15 instances of a player recording 100 extra-base hits in a single season; Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein and Todd Helton are the only players to have achieved this twice, with Helton the only one to do so in consecutive seasons.
The top 5 are as follows: (totals are current through the end of the 2025 season)
Babe Ruth (1921) – 119
Lou Gehrig (1927) – 117
Barry Bonds (2001) – 107
Chuck Klein (1930) – 107
Todd Helton (2001) – 105
Single game
The modern-era record for most extra-base hits by one batter, in one game, is five, held by 16 different players, including Lou 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, Adolis García, Shohei Ohtani, and most recently, Nick Kurtz.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Extra-base hit” as in baseball, a hit that allows the batter to advance beyond first base. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as in baseball, a hit that allows the batter to advance beyond first base. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 1, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2999029. The first chronological checks are 2025, 1921, 1927 and 2001.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Extra-base hit”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Extra-base hit primary sources, Extra-base hit archive and Extra-base research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Extra-base hit”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Extra-base hit” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.