/Jennifer Stewart/USA TODAY
By Richard Morin | Arizona Republic
The Diamondbacks walked into Chase Field on Tuesday ready to play their first meaningless game of the season after being eliminated from postseason contention just one day prior.
They walked out of Chase Field early Wednesday morning after breaking the record for the longest game in stadium history with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in 19 innings.
The game was the first in Chase Field history to reach 17 innings and surpassed the previous record of five hours and 46 minutes by an hour and seven minutes (6 hours and 53 minutes totals).
“The effort these guys gave today for 19 innings is something that will stand out to me,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “The team that we’re playing is in a pennant race and we just didn’t shut down. We had plenty of opportunities to feel sorry for ourselves and we didn’t.”
Finally, in the 19th inning, Diamondbacks second baseman Ildemaro Vargas hit a bases-loaded single to beat the Cardinals 3-2. Vargas had tied the game at one run apiece 10 innings prior in the bottom of the ninth.
