When fans ask about the longest baseball game in history, the answer depends on whether you look at Major League Baseball or professional organized baseball as a whole. The absolute record for professional baseball stands at an astonishing 33 innings, played between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings in 1981. Meanwhile, the Major League Baseball record stands at 26 innings, set during a 1920 marathon that ended in darkness.
Understanding these endurance contests requires looking past standard box scores into the logistics, pitching workloads, and rule changes that make these records nearly unbreakable today. Modern baseball rules, including extra-inning runner placements, ensure teams will rarely touch these historic totals again.
The Absolute Record: 33 Innings in Minor League Baseball
The longest game in professional baseball history began on April 18, 1981, at McCoy Stadium, pitting the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox against the Rochester Red Wings. What started as a standard International League matchup turned into an overnight endurance test that lasted eight hours and 25 minutes of playing time.
Future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. played third base for their respective teams. The game was so bitterly cold that players burned bats in the clubhouse barrel just to stay warm. By the 32nd inning, the score was deadlocked at 2-2, and the clock ticked past 4:00 a.m. League rules forced the game to be suspended.
When play resumed nearly two months later on June 23, 1981, a sellout crowd of 5,746 fans and roughly 140 reporters packed the stadium. The resumption lasted just one inning. Pawtucket's Dave Koza singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 33rd, wrapping up the contest in 18 minutes. Pawtucket won 3-2, etching numbers into the record books that modern teams will likely never threaten.
The Major League Baseball Record: 26 Innings
For games played strictly at the Major League Baseball level, the record belongs to a May 1, 1920, showdown between the Brooklyn Robins (later the Dodgers) and the Boston Braves.
The game ended in a 1-1 tie after 26 innings because darkness made it impossible to see the ball safely. The most remarkable aspect of this contest wasn't just the length, but the pitching performance. Both starting pitchers—Leon Cadore for Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger for Boston—pitched the entire game.
- Cadore threw 26 complete innings, facing 95 batters.
- Oeschger also threw 26 complete innings, allowing just nine hits.
- Only three total pitchers were used in the entire game.
Given the modern era's reliance on specialized bullpens and pitch counts, watching two starting pitchers throw 26 innings is a relic of a completely different sporting epoch. You can read more about vintage baseball milestones through Baseball-Reference.
Other Notable Extra-Inning Marathons
Baseball history features several other games that pushed players and managers to their absolute physical limits.
The 25-Inning Battles
Two major league games reached 25 innings. On September 11–12, 1974, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Mets 4-3 at Shea Stadium in a game that lasted seven hours and four minutes. A decade later, on May 8–9, 1984, the Chicago White Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-6 in eight hours and six minutes, standing as the longest MLB game by duration.
Postseason Endurance
Extra-inning postseason games carry immense pressure. The longest postseason game in MLB history by both innings and time occurred during Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2 in 18 innings, a marathon lasting seven hours and 20 minutes, sealed by Max Muncy's walk-off home run.
Why These Records Will Never Be Broken
If you're wondering whether modern teams can break these records, the short answer is no. Baseball's operational landscape has shifted permanently.
- The Extra-Inning Runner Rule: Major League Baseball and minor leagues now place a runner on second base to start each half-inning beginning in the 10th frame, designed explicitly to manufacture runs and quicken game conclusions.
- Pitcher Workloads: Modern organizations protect pitchers fiercely. Allowing a starter to throw 26 innings, or even letting a reliever throw four or five frames of high-intensity pitches, violates contemporary sports science protocols.
- Curfews and Travel: Modern scheduling, television broadcast windows, and player union agreements make open-ended, multi-hour extra-inning games logistically impossible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the longest MLB game by time?
The longest MLB game by duration was an eight-hour, six-minute contest between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers on May 8–9, 1984. It spanned 25 innings before being suspended overnight and finished the next day.
Did Wade Boggs play in the longest game?
Yes. Wade Boggs played third base for the Pawtucket Red Sox during their historic 33-inning game in 1981. Cal Ripken Jr. played third base for the opposing Rochester Red Wings.
How many pitches were thrown in the 33-inning game?
The Pawtucket-Rochester game featured an estimated 882 total pitches thrown across both teams, accompanied by 76 strikeouts and 99 putouts by the Pawtucket defense.
Can MLB teams still play 26-inning games today?
No. Aside from cultural shifts in bullpen management, rule adjustments like the runner on second base in extra innings heavily reduce the likelihood of games extending past the 12th or 13th frame.
