Is there something in the water, or perhaps an unspoken precursor for Game 3’s of the World Series held at Dodger’s Stadium, that says the contest must go 18 innings?
Whatever you choose to believe, last night’s matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays was one for the books, tying a record for the longest game played in World Series history.
The Dodgers reigned superior last night in a bonafide thriller, all thanks to Freddie Freeman. In the bottom of the 18th with 0 outs, the slugger hit a walk-off homer.
Dodgers fans were delighted. Jays fans were miserable. Both fanbases left tired. The game ended around 2:51 a.m. EST.
How Long Was This Game?
Last night’s game took a whopping 6 hours and 39 minutes to play. If you stayed up until nearly 3 a.m. to watch Freeman’s walk-off homer, congratulations.
Although the game itself isn’t the longest played in World Series history, it did break several records, including pitches thrown (609) and pitchers used (19).
What’s The Longest World Series Game Ever Played?
Coincidently, the longest World Series game ever played also happened at Dodgers Stadium. And it was another Game 3.
In 2018, the Dodgers defeated the Boston Red Sox in a dramatic 7-hour and 20-minute game. That game also went 18 innings. But the Red Sox ended up on top, winning the championship in 5 games.
The third longest World Series game was between the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros in 2005. It was 5 hours and 41 minutes, and—you guessed it—Game 3 of the series. The White Sox ended up winning the game and the series.
But What’s The Longest Game in MLB History?
It depends on how how you’re measuring the ‘length’ of a game. Is it amount of innings or time spent on the field?
18 innings is a walk in the park compared to the record-breaking 1920 game between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves. The game consisted of 26 innings and ended in a tie because it was deemed too dark to continue play.
In 1984, the Chicago White Sox played an 8+ hour game against the Milwaukee Brewers that took two days to complete. It was the longest game ever recorded as measured by time. The game was initially called at 1 a.m. after 17 innings, but would resume the next day. The game ended in the 25th inning. Chicago was victorious.
Players on both teams have a quick turnaround for today. Game 4 starts at 8 p.m. Shohei Ohtani, who is the expected pitcher for the Dodgers tonight, joked in a post game interview that he “wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible,” to prepare for his start on Tuesday.
