Longest game in Rockies' history turns into loss to D-backs

DENVER (AP) -- There were 15 pitchers, 514 pitches and 18 innings. The longest game in the history of the Colorado Rockies finally ended after Luis Gonzalez's RBI single lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.

"This," Colorado's Cory Sullivan said, "was a war of attrition."

This one ended about 45 minutes after another 18-inning game Tuesday night -- the Chicago Cubs won 8-6 at Houston. It was the first time in major league history two games on the same day lasted as long as 18 innings, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Eric Byrnes singled against Ramon Ramirez (3-3) to start the 18th, Orlando Hudson sacrificed and Gonzalez singled up the middle.

"The first pitch Ramirez threw was a fastball, and I swung through it," Gonzalez said. "After that I just took a two-strike approach to get the ball up the middle and bring Byrnes in. The pitch I hit was a fastball down, but I got just enough of it. That's all it takes in this game."

Gonzalez had been 0-for-7.

"Talk about a fighter," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "He was out there without a hit, and to go that long and not have a hit, that's hard."

Brandon Medders (5-2), Arizona's eighth pitcher, struck out four in three hitless innings, getting the final out when Ryan Spilborghs was called out at 12:26 a.m. MDT. Diamondbacks relievers allowed six hits in 12 shutout innings, striking out 13 and walking four in a game that lasted 5 hours, 21 minutes.

Six Colorado relievers allowed seven hits in 10 innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks.

"It was exceptional pitched game on both sides," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "There were missed opportunities on both sides and, unfortunately, they were able to execute the one inning, the 18th."

Before Tuesday, the Rockies' longest game was a 15-inning, 4-2 win at the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader on July 4, 1994. The longest game by time previously was a 6-5 win against Montreal on April 27, 1996, that took 4:51.

Arizona matched its longest game by innings, a 1-0 win at San Francisco on May 29, 2001, that took 5:53.

Only about 3,000 fans among the announced crowd of 22,076 remained for the final out. There were 264 pitches by the Diamondbacks staff.

Sullivan matched a career high with four hits, going 4-for-8. Brad Hawpe had three hits and Clint Barmes had a pair of doubles for Colorado.

"We were focused to win, but the legs and the body didn't respond," Sullivan said.

Chad Tracy and Byrnes each had three hits for the Diamondbacks.

Arizona starter Miguel Batista allowed seven hits in six innings, while Colorado's Jason Jennings gave up five hits in eight innings.

Byrnes hit an RBI single in the third, but Jamey Carroll grounded into a run-scoring double play in the fifth after Barmes doubled.

Colorado got a runner to third base in the ninth before Carroll flied out against Juan Cruz. With runners at the corners and two outs in the 13th, Tracy took a called third strike from Ray King.

Arizona remained tied for second in the NL West, 3½ games behind Los Angeles.

"If we would have lost, it would have been a huge blow," Gonzalez said. "We are in the thick of a race."

Game notes
RHP Greg Aquino (right forearm soreness) won't begin throwing for another three days. ... Stephen Drew has a 12-game hitting streak. ... Conor Jackson was robbed of a hit in the second inning on a diving stop by 3B Garrett Atkins.