<P> The longest major league postseason game was the second game of the 2014 National League Division Series, with the visiting San Francisco Giants winning 2--1 in 18 innings over the Washington Nationals . The game ended just after midnight on October 5, 2014 and lasted 6 hours 23 minutes . The Nationals had been leading 1--0 with two out in the ninth inning, with starter Jordan Zimmermann one out away from a complete - game shutout, but following a decision by manager Matt Williams to remove Zimmermann with two out after the latter walked Joe Panik, Washington closer Drew Storen gave up a single to Giants catcher Buster Posey and an RBI double to Pablo Sandoval, scoring Panik to tie the game 1--1 . Posey was thrown out at the plate trying to score the second San Francisco run on Sandoval's double . Bruce Bochy challenged the call but the call stood and it ended the top of the ninth . After Sergio Romo retired the Nationals in order in the bottom half, the game went into extra innings . There was no further scoring until Giants first baseman Brandon Belt led off the top of the 18th inning with a home run . Hunter Strickland, a September call - up, recorded the save . </P> <P> Another 18 - inning contest was played between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros on October 9, 2005 . In the 4th game of a National League Division Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, the Braves (who were trailing the series two games to one and facing elimination) took a 6--1 lead into the 8th inning . A grand slam by Lance Berkman in the bottom of the 8th brought the score to 6--5, and with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Brad Ausmus homered to tie the game and send it to extra innings . The score remained deadlocked at 6--6 until the 18th, when the Astros' Chris Burke (who entered the game in the 9th inning as a pinch runner) homered to left field to win the game and send Houston to the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals . Roger Clemens, who was brought in to pinch - hit in the 15th and pitched the last three innings in relief, was credited as the winning pitcher in the 5 - hour, 50 - minute contest . In a somewhat odd coincidence, Adam LaRoche and Tim Hudson played in both 18 inning games . This one as Atlanta Braves and the other one as opposing sides of one another with Hudson pitching in both games as the visiting team's starting pitcher . It is the longest winner in a potential clinching game in baseball history . </P> <P> Exactly two weeks later on October 23, 2005, the same Houston Astros team lost to the Chicago White Sox in the longest World Series game by time, Game 3 of the 2005 Series, played at Minute Maid Park, which lasted 5 hours 41 minutes, breaking the previous record of 4 hours 51 minutes in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series . It also shared the record for the longest World Series game by innings at 14, tied with Game 2 of the 1916 World Series, played on October 9, 1916 between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Red Sox at Braves Field, and Game 1 of the 2015 World Series, played on October 27, 2015 between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium . </P> <P> The 1986 National League Championship Series, which also involved the Astros, was notable for its two climactic extra-inning games . After the Astros and the New York Mets split the first four games of the series, the Mets won Game 5 in 12 innings and Game 6 in 16 innings to claim the pennant . </P>

What's the most innings played in a world series