Fri Apr 18 04:54:25 2008

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Rockies top Padres in 22-inning marathon

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San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Troy Tulowitzki doubled in Willy Taveras in the 22nd inning to give Colorado a marathon 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres.

The Rockies and Padres played 13 innings for the 2007 wild card spot, but that paled in comparison to Thursday night's game between the teams. Last October 1st, the Rockies beat the Padres, 9-8, in the one-game playoff, and Colorado won the NL pennant.

Although runs were at a premium on Thursday, the Rockies won the game in part to a costly error from shortstop Khalil Greene, whose high throw to first base allowed Taveras to beat out a grounder with two down in the 22nd. Taveras then stole second, and went to third when the throw from catcher Josh Bard darted into center field.

Tulowitzki then laced a 1-2 pitch off Glendon Rusch (0-1) to the gap in left- center field to give the Rockies the lead.

Kip Wells (1-0), the eighth pitcher of the night for the Rockies, got the victory in a game that lasted 6 hours, 16 minutes.

It was the longest extra-inning game for both teams and lengthiest in the majors since Minnesota beat Cleveland in 22 innings on August 31, 1993. The longest game in MLB history is 26 innings, on May 1, 1920, and that turned out to be a 1-1 tie between Brooklyn and Boston.

Greene was hit by a pitch on his left arm to start the bottom of the 22nd, but Bard then hit a bouncer to third that turned into a double play. Paul McAnulty walked, but Wells, who had 17 losses last year with the Cardinals, then caught Rusch looking at a third strike to end the game before the clock reached 1:30 a.m.

The fans that waited it out at Petco Park were treated to not one or two, but three seventh-inning stretches. The scoreboard read 21st-inning stretch before the Padres came to bat.

The finale of the three-game series at Petco Park featured 658 total pitches, 30 runners left on base and, incredibly, just three extra-base hits.

Taveras finished the game 3-for-10 and scored both runs for the Rockies, winners in three of their last four games. It'll be a short turnaround for the Rockies as they head to Houston for a three-game series this weekend.

"You get past being tired and you try to have some fun with it," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "I said our attitude is going to be huge in this one way or the other, no matter what happens in this game. The attitude we take for the rest of this game, the attitude we take on the flight, the attitude we take in tomorrow."

Bard had the lone RBI for the Padres, who dropped the final two contests of the series. They also have to hit the road, although their trip isn't as far - to Arizona.

"It looked like the way it was going, both teams had opportunities and it took 22 innings for someone to get a big hit," San Diego's Brian Giles said.

In the top of the 14th, the Rockies grabbed the lead when Kevin Cameron walked Brad Hawpe with the bases loaded to score Taveras.

San Diego came right back in the home half, though, as Kevin Kouzmanoff singled, Tony Clark walked and both runners advanced on Jim Edmonds' sacrifice bunt. Greene was then intentionally walked before Bard's single to center made it 1-1.

The rally died there, as McAnulty's fielder's choice grounder cut down a run at the plate and pinch-hitter Colt Morton grounded out to end the inning.

The Rockies had runners at the corners in the 16th, but Hawpe grounded out to end the threat. Clint Barmes led off the 17th with a double, but was left stranded at third, and another rally fell short in the 18th for the Rockies. Tulowitzki walked and Todd Helton singled with nobody out, but Matt Holliday grounded into Colorado's fourth double play of the night and Ryan Speier fanned.

Jake Peavy, who had won each of his first three starts for the Padres, pitched lights out through his eight innings of work. He allowed just four hits and three walks while fanning 11 batters.

Colorado's Jeff Francis nearly matched him pitch-for-pitch, working through a shaky first inning before cruising through the final six. It was the left- hander's best outing of the season, as he struck out seven and walked just one.

Game Notes

This was tied for the eighth-longest contest in major league history...The previous longest game in Rockies history was an 18-inning affair, August 15, 2006 against Arizona, while San Diego's longest contest was 21 innings, last set May 21, 1977 at Montreal...Peavy was looking for his fourth win in as many starts. He threw 113 pitches, while Francis tossed 111...Colorado was 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position...The Padres used seven pitchers.