Game 3 of the 2025 World Series marked the fifth 18-inning game in MLB playoff history – all of them having occurred in the 21st century
After an already strong start to the 2025 World Series that saw a Toronto offensive explosion lead the way to a Game 1 win before a Yoshinobu Yamamoto complete game to tie the series in Game 2, the series forever established itself in MLB history as one to remember with an 18-inning masterpiece in Game 3.
While 10 combined runs were scored through the first seven innings while pitting two teams that had perceived bullpen weaknesses against each other, both offenses went silent as relief pitching locked in for a nailbiter for the ages.
On the heels of seemingly countless missed opportunities and momentum-changing plays on both sides, it was future Hall of Famer Freddie Freeman to send everyone home just before midnight Pacific Time with an 18th-inning walk-off solo blast to center field, becoming the first player in MLB history to have two walk-off home runs in World Series play.
Although the contest will likely also be remembered for Shohei Ohtani reaching base a record nine times in a postseason game, it tied four other games for the longest in postseason history by innings as well, with no playoff game in any round ever going 19 or more innings.
With Game 3 of this year’s Fall Classic already guaranteed to be remembered as a signature MLB moment of the decade and this generation, here’s a rewind to the four other postseason games that took 18 innings to resolve – all of which have been played since the dawn of the new millennium.
2005 NLDS Game 4: Atlanta Braves 6, Houston Astros 7
The first of the 21st century 18-inning marathons, Game 4 marked an elimination game for what was ultimately the last Braves team of 14 consecutive division championships facing an Astros club eager to avenge a heartbreaking seven-game loss in the NLCS the prior season.
With a pitching matchup of Tim Hudson vs. Brandon Backe, it was the young Baby Braves who took an early advantage, nabbing a third-inning grand slam from sophomore first baseman Adam LaRoche for an early 4-0 lead.
The Braves later expanded the lead to five runs in the fifth inning, though Houston got on the board in the bottom half of the frame to bring the Atlanta advantage back down to four. Though a solo shot in the eighth inning from young Braves catcher Brian McCann appeared to seal the game and secure a Game 5 back in Atlanta, Houston launched a feverish rally.
The Astros got four of the five runs they needed back on a grand slam from Lance Berkman in the bottom of the eighth inning, with a two-out solo shot from Brad Ausmus the following frame knotting the score at 5. Where it would stay for the length of another entire baseball game.
While the Braves went on to get multiple innings from Chris Reitsma, John Thomson and Jim Brower, the Astros emptied their bullpen before putting their faith into the series’ Game 2 starter in Roger Clemens.
The Rocket tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four Braves, providing the necessary support before Houston finally broke through in the 18th inning thanks to Chris Burke.
The Astros won the marathon contest 7-6, clinching a berth to the NLCS for the second consecutive year. As for Atlanta, the Braves entered a four-year period of mediocrity before finally returning to the postseason in 2010.
2014 NLDS Game 2: San Francisco Giants 2, Washington Nationals 1
This series pitted the Wild Card Giants against the favored Nationals, with San Francisco looking to capture both games on the road in Washington, D.C. to take a stranglehold on the NLDS after a 3-2 victory in Game 1.
Coincidentally, Tim Hudson started in what turned out to be his second 18-inning game in this contest, taking the bump for the Giants against Jordan Zimmermann of Washington. The Nationals were in the driver’s seat for much of the game, with a third-inning RBI single from Anthony Rendon serving as the only offense of the game most of the way through.
Though Zimmermann held serve for much of the game and looked to be on the cusp of finishing a complete game shutout, the righty was pulled after issuing a two-out walk to Joe Panik in the ninth inning in favor of Drew Storen.
Storen then allowed a single to Buster Posey before surrendering an RBI double to Pablo Sandoval, with the Giants tying the game before making the inning-ending out at the plate, sending the game into extra innings.
The offensive dormancy continued as both teams emptied their bullpens, though the Giants got the bulk of their work done by right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, who tossed an incredible six innings in relief, allowing just one hit and three walks. For Washington, Craig Stammen handled more than any other reliever, allowing just one hit in three shutout innings of work.
The stalemate was broken in the top of the 18th inning with a leadoff solo shot from Brandon Belt off of usual Washington starter Tanner Roark, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead they would hang on to, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
San Francisco went on to win the NLDS in four games en route to an eventual World Series championship, while the Nationals would remain without a postseason series victory until their World Series championship run in 2019.
2018 World Series Game 3: Boston Red Sox 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 3
A big-market championship matchup fans and networks alike yearned for, it was the 108-win Red Sox who entered Game 3 in Los Angeles with a 2-0 lead in the series, aiming to put the stranglehold on the Fall Classic and move one win away from their fourth championship of the new millennium.
Game 3 saw Rick Porcello for Boston face off against Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler, the latter of whom gave his team more length with an outing of seven shutout innings. As for Porcello, a solo shot off the bat of Joc Pederson in the third inning gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead they ultimately would hold on to for much of the game.
While Buehler dazzled on the mound in his seven innings of work, the Red Sox were able to get on the board against star closer Kenley Jansen, who gave up a two-out moonshot to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the eighth inning to tie the game up at 1 apiece.
After Craig Kimbrel was able to escape a ninth-inning Los Angeles rally, offense remained hard to come by as both teams cycled through relievers. With Boston having already used seven relief pitchers leading into the 12th inning, Red Sox manager Alex Cora tapped righty and usual starter Nathan Eovaldi to give them some distance.
It initially looked like Boston wouldn’t need much more after an infield single from Eduardo Núñez along with an error from Dodgers pitcher Scott Alexander gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the 13th inning, but the Dodgers were able to respond.
With two outs and a runner on second base, a Yasiel Puig base hit appeared to extend the inning before an Ian Kinsler throwing error allowed the tying run to score, extending the game once more.
Eovaldi went on to stymie the Dodgers for four more innings, but a solo shot from Max Muncy to lead off the bottom of the 18th inning sent everyone home, securing a 3-2 Dodgers victory while cutting the series deficit to 2-1.
Though the loss was a marathon of a heartbreaker for Boston, they appeared unfazed as they went on to win Games 4 and 5 to close out their ninth World Series title. The Dodgers were dealt a brutal loss in the NLDS the following season before winning their first championship in 32 years in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
2022 ALDS Game 3: Houston Astros 1, Seattle Mariners 0
Despite trailing 2-0 in the series, fans in Seattle were energized as the ALDS moved to T-Mobile Park for the Mariners’ first home playoff game in 21 years.
Looking to stave off elimination at home, the game saw Houston veteran Lance McCullers Jr. take on young Seattle starter George Kirby, who exchanged brilliant outings in the pivotal contest. McCullers Jr. allowed just two hits and two walks in six innings, while Kirby tossed seven shutout innings and allowed six hits.
The score remained knotted at zero as the game moved to extra innings, with the Mariners falling short with two on and one out in the ninth inning. The Astros eventually tapped usual starter Luis Garcia in the 14th inning, who ultimately took Houston the rest of the way and preserved the rest of their bullpen.
Though the Mariners didn’t get more than two innings out of any reliever, they continued to lock down the Houston offense as an afternoon game dragged into the evening in Seattle. After Mariners’ righty Penn Murfee delivered a 1-2-3 inning in the 17th, rookie Jeremy Peña, who entered the at-bat 0-for-7 on the game, launched a 3-2 offering beyond the left-center field wall to finally put Houston on the board.
While Seattle starter Robbie Ray was able to finish the 18th inning and work out of a runner on base, the Mariners were retired by Garcia in order in the bottom half of the frame as the Astros completed a three-game sweep of their division rivals.
The Astros went on to sweep the New York Yankees in the ALCS before defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games in the 2022 World Series. As for Seattle, the Mariners went on to miss the postseason in both 2023 and 2024 before falling a game short of the World Series in 2025 in a seven-game ALCS defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Leave a Reply