It’s been six years since the longest MLB game ever took place. It was August 10, 2012, and the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays were in a battle of attrition that lasted 18 innings. It was the longest regular season game ever played in mlb jerseys history. I remember staying up until around 1:20am to catch the end of the marathon!
when will mlb schedules be updated it was all over, the Rangers had emerged victorious after winning the game 4-3, in 18 innings. It was a marathon game and featured a total of 49 players, with both teams pulling out all the stops to try and eke out a win. The game lasted five hours and 43 minutes and featured a total of 41 strikeouts, five home runs, and 13 pitchers for the combined teams.
I was amazed at the perseverance and grit these teams brought to the situation. In the 17th inning, there were still some fans left at the stadium cheering for their teams. Some commentators joked that the game was going on so long that all the fans had become members of the same family!
It was also filled with some interesting individual performances. Ryan Dempster, the Blue Jays’ starting pitcher, went six innings and only allowed two runs. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ Yu Darvish lasted eight innings and had an impressive 13 strikeouts. The game also saw plenty of dramatic moments, such as when both teams had runners on base in the 18th inning, only for the Rangers to come up clutch with a double play.
In one of the more unbelievable moments, the game was the second-longest regular season game in history but was still shorter than the longest postseason game, which happened in 2005. During that game, the Houston Astros managed to bounce back and beat the Atlanta Braves in the 18th inning. I guess getting through those 18 innings is just old-hat for some teams!
The game also featured plenty of well-known player appearances. Both Nelson Cruz and Munenori Kawasaki, two players who went on to become fan favorites, had appearances in the game. Even now, I remember both of their plays in the game as if it were yesterday.
Speaking of fan favorites, the Blue Jays’ Robert Zambrano has become a near-mythical figure at the Rogers Center. To this day, when he’s on the mound, the whole stadium erupts in cheers. Fans can’t help but remember that 18 inning marathon game in 2012.
I still remember the excitement and adrenaline of every single pitch throughout the game. Every strikeout, every home run, even every error felt like a crucial moment in deciding the game. I remember feeling completely drained by the end of the 18th inning, but also being filled with a sense of pride and satisfaction that I had stayed up late to witness this grueling and epic game.
The game also left me wondering whether I’d ever get to witness another game this long in the future. I’m still holding out that one day, I’ll get to experience an even longer baseball game. In a way, this game back in 2012 was almost a test of human endurance. I definitely think that’s an impressive feat in itself!