The Two Day Game

"It's late, but it's early." - Vin Scully

The Padres and Dodgers pulled their best John Isner/Nicholas Mahut impression last night/tonight.

Something tells me that we will remember this game much like we remember the 22 inning game.

Not necessarily fondly but with an almost "wow, remember that game?"

I remember watching all 22 innings of that game. Bleary eyed, loopy, and increasingly losing interest in who won only that someone would win. I also recall Mudcat throwing paper at fans in the stands below the booth. It was a crazy night. What is perhaps forgotten from that game however, is the minor tailspin the Padres went into after that game. Immediately following the 22 inning marathon, the Padres went to Arizona and Houston before returning home to San Francisco. They lost 7 of their next 8, due in part to a clearly taxed pitching staff.

In 2009, the Padres played another epically long game, an 18 inning affair vs the Diamondbacks in which San Diego scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game only to lose the game 9 innings later. The losing pitcher that night: Josh Wilson, a utility infielder.

But neither of those games can match the actually, real time length of the Padres vs Dodgers game that began on Friday, April 8th and concluded on Saturday, April 9th. This was the Padres first night game at home of the 2011 season. It was also the first game that I was going to be able to see from start to finish of the season (thanks to day games and the Central time zone).

Then came the rains. And then the rains. And then more rain.

By 1:00am, the crowd looked something like this:


































So, predictably, after 4 rain delays and a restart at 5:30pm Saturday night, the game went to extra innings. Which is where we are at as I type this. Heading to the Top of the 10th inning, tied 2-2 despite the Padres 6 stolen bases on the game.

So what did we learn during the rain delay? Well, here's what I learned:

- The Padres have had 16 complete rain outs in their history

- Corey Brock knows his Pearl Jam. Fav songs, per Twitter, "Given to Fly" "Betterman" "Chloe Dancer" (a Mother Love Bone song they cover in live shows)

- Umpires apparently cannot read a radar screen. Rain was forecasted throughout the night. After the 3rd delay, this game should have been postponed.

- Cory Luebke is going to be a starter for this team. And probably soon. Luebke came in after the first rain delay and after Bud Black decided to not send Clayton Richard back out to pitch, and promptly struck out the side. In all, Luebke went 4 innings, striking out 5 and allowing one unearned run.

- Dan Hayes (@NCTPadres) prides his press pass more than the chance to slip n' slide, to many fans chagrin. But, he is a big Big Lebowski fan, so I guess we'll call it even.

- And finally, a rumor that free beer was being served at Petco during the many rain delays. So there's that.

- Oh, and one last thing. The Dodgers won 4-2, in 11 innings.

See you all in a half hour!