SAN FRANCISCO — The Mets played their umpteenth extra-inning game last night — the third at least 13 innings in eight days — and in a string of wild games, one inning has to be the weirdest.
The top of the sixth inning of the Mets’ 4-3, 16-inning win last night at AT&T Park featured two runs to give the Mets a lead, two triples, two singles, two missed diving catches, an errant throw by the Giants — and one very confused security guard marooned in the outfield.
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Giants starter Tim Lincecum was rolling along with a 2-1 lead when Eric Young led off for the Mets with a slicing hit down the left-field line that rattled to the base of the wall. Giants left fielder Andres Torres, who played for the Mets last season, took a bad angle to get to the ball and had to chase it as it rolled by him.
Meanwhile, a security guard stationed way down the left-field line beyond the Giants bullpen inexplicably ran onto the field of play instead of just turning and sidestepping the oncoming ball. As Torres was retrieving the ball, the security guard — who was at least 25 feet into the field of play and only a few steps from the Giants left fielder — had to duck to avoid being hit by the throw. Young, who initially slowed around second, slid in ahead of the throw for a triple.
Torres’ adventure was just beginning.
Daniel Murphy followed with a sinking liner that Torres misplayed trying to make a sliding catch. The single plated Young for a 2-2 tie.
David Wright then hit a grounder that diving Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval snagged, but his throw was too late to get Murphy at second and second baseman Marco Scutaro made an ill-advised attempt to relay to first. The wild throw hit the fence in front of the Mets dugout for an error, allowing Murphy to go to third base.
The Mets then took the lead 3-2 when Ike Davis hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
Marlon Byrd then hit a sinking liner that Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco dove for, but the ball landed a few inches in front of his glove and got by him, turing it into a triple.
Lincecum, who had 11 strikeouts in seven innings, fanned Kirk Nieuwenhuis on a 90-mph heater to end the wacky Mets threat.