All night long: Class A game goes 23 innings

[May 24, 2011]  JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- A minor league game in the Class A Florida State League lasted 23 innings Monday night before the Jupiter Hammerheads finally beat the Clearwater Threshers 2-1.

With one out in the bottom of the 23rd, Jose Duarte singled home Jaime Ortiz with the winning run to end it after 5 hours, 37 minutes. Ortiz had singled off losing pitcher Justin Friend, who entered to start the 23rd.

Clearwater is a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate, while Jupiter is a Florida Marlins farm team.

Attendance was 330 for a game that began at 6:30 p.m. and ended after midnight.

Clearwater scored a run in the third on Brian Gump's RBI double and Jupiter tied it in the sixth on a single by Dallas Poulk before the teams went scoreless for the next 16 innings.

Jupiter manager Ron Hassey, a major league catcher from 1978-91, was ejected in the 14th.

Each team used eight pitchers. Threshers catcher Sebastian Valle and Hammerheads backstop Miguel Fermin both caught the entire game.

Clearwater put two players on the mound who began the game batting fourth and fifth, respectively. First baseman Darin Ruf pitched scoreless ball in the 21st and 22nd innings after designated hitter Joe Savery tossed a pair of shutout innings.

Alejandro Ramos worked one inning for the win.

[Associated Press]

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