Rockies win! In 22 innings!
By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News
Originally published 02:32 a.m., April 18, 2008
Updated 02:11 p.m., April 18, 2008
In light of the Rockies’ 22-inning game Thursday night/Friday morning, should Major League Baseball implement a cutoff point for games?
Photo by Lenny Ignelzi, Associated Press
The scoreboard tells the story at Petco Park where the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies played 22 innings in their baseball game, which ended at 2:21 MDT this morning.
Photo by Lenny Ignelzi, Associated Press
San Diego Padres left fielder Scott Hairston shows the drain of the longest game in Petco Park history during the 21st inning of the Padres' 22 inning loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Photo by Lenny Ignelzi, Associated Press
Colorado Rockies stars Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki embrace after the Rockies defeated the San Diego Padres 2-1 in 22 innings in their baseball game Thursday (and this morning) in San Diego.
SAN DIEGO — Well after Thursday night had turned into Friday morning, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle glanced down the bench in the visiting dugout at Petco Park and called over infielder Clint Barmes.
He wanted to know if Barmes, who hadn’t pitched since high school, might be able to give him an inning or two. “I don’t know,” Barmes said, “if he was serious or not.”
Hurdle was.
“Then I’d have done it,” Barmes said. “I would have gotten them off balance. I’d have mixed some off-speed in with an 80-mph heater. No problem.”
No need.
With the Rockies down to their last available pitcher, Kip Wells, it was Troy Tulowitzki to the rescue. The shortstop delivered a two-out, run-scoring double that lifted the Rockies to a record-setting 2-1 victory over the Padres that lasted 22 innings and 6 hours and 16 minutes.
“The beauty of baseball is there is no clock,” Hurdle said, “and we proved it.”
The longest game in Rockies history was a mere prelude to a lengthy flight to Houston, where the Rockies arrived about sunrise to open a three-game series on Friday night.
“That’s on the schedule,” Hurdle said. “That’s not something we can worry about.”
And that was a message that Hurdle sent loud and clear as the game in San Diego moved along without conclusion.
“The flight was being discussed about the 16th inning,” Hurdle said. “I told them that no matter what is in front of us, there are people out there that are in a lot worse shape than we are. They are homeless. They are broke. They are starving. We need to enjoy what we are doing. We needed to have fun with it.”
It got a lot more fun thanks to Tulowitzki, who has been battling a season-long slump and didn’t get his first RBI of the season until he doubled home two runs in the ninth inning of the Rockies’ 10-2 victory against San Diego on Wednesday.
The struggle continued Thursday. He was 0-for-6 with two walks through 19 innings, leaving him in a 1-for-27 slide. But he singled in the 20th and then came through in the 22nd.
With two out, Willy Taveras reached base on a high throw by shortstop Khalil Greene. Taveras then stole second and went to third on catcher Josh Bard’s errant throw.
Behind in the count 0-2, Tulowitzki took a pitch and then drove the next pitch from left-hander Glendon Rush into the left-center field gap.
Back-to-back games with RBI doubles in the final innings of Rockies victories might be a good omen for Tulowitzki. “Everything has to start somewhere,” Hurdle said. “He might as well start here.”
No argument from Tulowitzki.
“I hope so,” he said. “You get in a game like that and you have to work to stay focus. Your legs start to feel weak. But you know you have a job to do.”
Nobody was more aware of the job he faced than Kip Wells, who came on in the 19th, after three shutout innings of work from Ryan Speier. Wells worked four shutout innings and earned the win.
“You don’t want to come in and not be prepared when the guys have played so well for so long,” Wells said. “You want to validate their effort.”
There’s also a matter of pride, said Wells, the only pitcher available to pitch because Franklin Morales and Aaron Cook, scheduled to start the Friday and Saturday games in Houston, flew ahead early so they would be rested, and Ubaldo Jimenez and Mark Redman had started the two previous nights.
“When you are the last guy out there (in the bullpen), you are getting heckled by every fan,” Wells said. “They start saying, ‘Why aren’t you in the game? You’re a loser.’”
Once he got in, Wells knew he was staying.
“I wasn’t sure how long I was going to pitch,” he said, “but I knew I’d be out there as long as the game was going on, maybe in right field, but I’d be out there.”
Wells never had to find out.
Tulowtizki delivered at the plate.
Wells delivered on the mound.
And the Rockies pulled out a victory.
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April 18, 2008
8:59 a.m.
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Diff writes:
Anyone in the ball park who stuck it out to the end - should get some free tickets or something...
Way to go Rockies - hope the turn around continues!
April 18, 2008
10:17 a.m.
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TheVentilator writes:
Did they play Maureen McGovern's "There has got to be a morning after" song?
April 18, 2008
10:53 a.m.
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AC writes:
Diff: You are right. I wish I had been there. Who could leave? Scoreless into the 14th?!? The ROCKIES?
April 18, 2008
11 a.m.
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mtnsrfer writes:
I was at the longest game in Coors Field history. I thought it went 18 1/2, Drew and Fraizer said 16. What ever it was, it was a long time. I was also at the 4th of july game that had a 2 hour rain delay, that sucked, but it was worth it. Game 3 of the N.L.C.S. was cold and wet, but I have never seen that stadium so alive.
Way to hang in there Rocks, Kip, Tulo, and Willy T.
April 18, 2008
11:31 a.m.
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smiley writes:
Can anyone please tell me why Manny Corpas is still the closer?????????? He has blown the last 5 saves!!!!
April 18, 2008
1:25 p.m.
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arvada_mark writes:
I hear you about Manny closing. I never thought Fuentes should have been replaced to begin with. Fuentes is a bulldog, he has what it takes upstairs. Manny will be there, someday, but he's not there yet. Fuentes may very well be the best lefty out of the bullpen in the NL. Off hand, I can't think of anyone...is Billy Wagner a lefty?
April 18, 2008
4:56 p.m.
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SteveC writes:
2:21AM?????? Was anybody still there? Were they awake? Gotta give the Rocks credit, they found a way to win when they needed to. Let's hope they are able to keep finding ways in the future. (Hopefully in less than 22 innings, but what the hell. A win is a win)