The Cleveland Indians
have played 28 innings of baseball for a total of 8 hours and 52 minutes over two games.
And lost both 7-4 to the Blue Jays.
Baseball: It’ll rip your heart out.
The Longest Extra-Inning Opening Day Game…
took place on April 19, 1960….in Cleveland. The Indians hosted the Detroit Tigers. It went 15 innings, both starters went 10 innings before being relieved. Hall of Famer (and former U.S. Senator) Jim Bunning pitched the 11th for Detroit. Teams used a total of 8 pitchers (Detroit - 5, Cleveland - 3)
The Tigers won the game 4-2. Hall of Famer Al Kaline knocked in the winning runs in the top of the 15th. Pete Burnside was the winning pitcher having pitched four innings of perfect relief. The losing pitcher was Mudcat Grant, who would go on to be the Sporting News’ AL Pitcher of the Year for the Twins in 1965. The game lasted 4:54.
took place on April 5, 2012…in Cleveland. The Indians hosted the Toronto Blue Jays. It went 16 innings. The Blue Jays’ starter, Ricky Romero, went 5 innings. The Indians’ starter, Justin Masterson, went 8 innings. Chris Perez, of Cleveland, gave up 3 runs in the 9th to blow the save and send the game into extra innings. Teams used a total of 14 pitchers (Toronto - 8, Cleveland - 6).
The Blue Jays won the game 7-4. J.P. Arencibia hit a 3-run home run in the top of the 16th. Luis Perez was the winning pitcher having pitched 4 scoreless innings of relief. Sergio Santos earned the save. The losing pitcher was Jairo Asencio. The game lasted 5:14.
Thanks to retrosheet.org and the MLB AtBat app.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona Roberto Hernandez-Heredia was arrested in the Dominican Republic when he tried to obtain a travel visa under his false name. The Fausto-ian bargain helped the former Carmona get a four-year contract after his stellar rookie season in 2007, although that season is less impressive now that he appears to be three years older than his listed age of 28.
The Indians can’t be happy about the arrest or the age discrepancy, which might make them regret picking up his $7 million option for 2012. Who is happy about it? Former utility infielder Fausto Cruz, who is now, again, the only Fausto in baseball history. And also me, because I can start working on my screenplay about the incident. The working title is “The Fausto And The Furious.”
