What Is The Most Innings In A 1-0 Game
The longest shutout game in major league history took place on April 15, 1968, between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets. This epic duel lasted for an astonishing 24 innings, ending with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Astros.
Before we delve into the record-breaking innings, let's first understand what an inning in baseball is. An inning is a segment of a baseball game where both teams have a chance to play offense and defense. Each team's turn at bat is considered a half-inning, with the visiting team batting in the top half and the home team batting in the bottom half. A regulation Major League Baseball (MLB) game consists of nine innings.
The Longest Shutout Game in History
The longest shutout game in major league history took place on April 15, 1968, between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets. This epic duel lasted for an astonishing 24 innings, ending with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Astros. The game concluded at 1:37 a.m., after a grueling 6 hours and 6 minutes of play.
The Winning Run
The winning run was scored by Norm Miller, courtesy of a grounder hit by Bob Aspromonte that slipped through the legs of Mets shortstop Al Weis. This game also holds the record for the most scoreless innings (23) in a major-league game.
The Significance of the Fifth Inning
In professional baseball games, which are typically nine innings long, the fifth inning serves as the threshold for an official game. If the visiting team is leading or the game is tied, the end of the fifth inning marks this point.
Extra Innings and Tiebreaker Rules
If a game is tied after the regulation nine innings, extra innings are played until a winner emerges. The MLB has implemented a tiebreaker rule, known as the ghost runner rule, which places a runner on second base at the start of each half-inning after the ninth inning in regular season games. This rule aims to increase the chances of a quicker resolution to tied games.