Mud Hens lose in historic 19-inning game

8/6/2012

The Mud Hens suffered a 10-9 loss to Rochester on Sunday in the longest game in Fifth Third Field history.

The two teams battled for 19 innings and played for 6 hours, 32 minutes before the Red Wings scored three times in the top of the 19th and Toledo managed only two in the bottom of the 19th.

The result was the Hens' fourth consecutive loss as the team fell to 44-72, one game worse than Louisville in the battle for the worst record in the International League.

The game was the longest in Fifth Third Field history as measured by both time of game and innings played. The previous longest game was a 16-inning affair between the Hens and Syracuse played June 16, 2006, while the longest in terms of time of game was a 14-inning game between Toledo and the Red Wings on June 23, 2003, that took 4:39 to play.

The game also is the longest in the International League this season.

Rochester's game-winning rally in the 19th began when, with two outs and no one on base, Clete Thomas singled up the middle off Toledo reliever Jose Ortega. Evan Bigley doubled to right-center to score Thomas, and Brian Dinkelman blooped a single to center that scored Bigley. Dinkelman then stole second before coming home on a double by Ray Chang.

The Mud Hens attempted a comeback in the bottom of the 19th when Jamie Johnson drew a leadoff walk and John Lindsey slammed a two-run homer, his second home run of the game and 10th this season. That cut the deficit to one run, but Danny Dorn grounded out to end the game.

The contest was a crazy affair that saw the two teams combine for 14 runs in the first nine innings, then go scoreless until the 19th.

Rochester scored a run in the first on a two-out RBI single by Wilkin Ramirez, then add a run in the third on a run-scoring double by Chris Parmelee.

But Toledo seemed to take command of the contest with a six-run third inning. The Mud Hens sent 12 batters to the plate that frame, collecting a solo homer by Cale Iorg and a three-run homer by Lindsey as well as bases-loaded walks by Iorg and Johnson.

But the Wings got a run back in the fifth on a home run by Eduardo Escobar, then tied the game with a three-run eighth. The big hits in that game-tying rally were an RBI single by Bigley and a two-run double by Dinkelman.

The Mud Hens then scratched out a run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-6 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, Lindsey hit a grounder into the hole at shortstop, and Red Wings third baseman Chang wasn't able to get an out after making a diving stop.

Toledo was one strike away from winning the game in the top of the ninth, but Parmelee pounded a two-out home run in the top of the ninth off the Hens' Zach Miner.

The Mud Hens begin a four-game series at Louisville Monday.

NOTES: Sunday's game is not the longest in Mud Hens history. Toledo played a 21-inning game against Richmond on Aug. 7, 1989. ... Before the game the Tigers called up IF Danny Worth from Toledo to take the place of Ryan Raburn, who was placed on the disabled list. Detroit then traded with the Chicago Cubs for IF Jeff Baker, and announced after Sunday's game that Worth was optioned back to the Mud Hens. ... Chris Bootcheck was injured while diving to catch a ball in the top of the eighth inning and left the game. His status was not known following the contest. ... The crowd of 9,110 was the Mud Hens' 25th sellout this season and 12th in a row.