Saturday, August 19, 2006
Yanks Set Record in Doubleheader Sweep
The Yankees and Red Sox have played some epic games against each other during their historic rivalry, but Friday night's contest was one for the ages.
That's because it took four hours and 45 minutes for New York to complete a 14-11 win over Boston, marking the longest nine-inning game in Major League history.
"As long as it was a victory, I'm proud of it," Joe Torre said. "Especially in this ballpark, where every game seems like it's the longest nine-inning game in history. I'm pretty emotional right now."
While not considered an official doubleheader, the day-night twin bill lasted a combined 8:40, which would have shattered the previous record of 7:39 for the longest 18-inning doubleheader ever.
The nightcap featured 25 runs, 34 hits and 13 walks, as the two teams scored in nine of the 18 half-innings. Boston scored in each of the first five frames, taking a 10-7 lead. Unfortunately, the five Red Sox pitchers combined to throw 222 pitches in the game.
"We kept looking up, and it kept being the fourth inning," Torre said. "It was nuts."
"I don't even remember half the game," said Derek Jeter, whose three-run double accounted for the winning runs.
The previous big-league record for the longest nine-innin game was 4:27, a Dodgers-Giants game that took place on Oct. 5, 2001. Alex Cora, who started at shortstop for Boston on Friday night, played for Los Angeles in that contest.
The previous American League record was 4:22, which the Yankees and Orioles set on Sept. 5, 1997. Jeter, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada each participated in that game, and now they can say they took part in the longest nine-inning game in either league's history.
"It feels great, especially when it's after another game a few hours earlier and we have another one in a couple of hours," Jeter said with a smirk. "Yeah, it feels real good."
Posted by Steve Kenul at 3:32 AM
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