The longest game in Mets history by innings played

Extra-inning games can be stressful and at some points, frustrating to watch. There have been games that have gone on for 20 innings or more that can last up to almost 7-plus hours. And for the New York Mets, they have been involved in many of those marathon games with their most recent marathon game being 18 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2015 that they won 3-1.

But if you're a Mets history buff like I am, you know that is not the longest game by innings in team history. While there have been many of them like the Mets playing a 20-inning game against the Marlins on June 8, 2013, that resulted in a 2-1 defeat, and another 20-inning affair that last almost seven hours against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 17, 2010, that gave the Mets a 2-1 win. Shockingly enough, those are not the longest games by innings for the Mets in team history, try an extra five innings! Yep, the Mets once played a 25-inning game.

The Mets played a 25-inning game against the St. Louis Cardinals

Long-time Mets fans may remember this marathon! Flashback to September 11, 1974, the New York Mets were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium and the over 13,000 fans that made the trip to Flushing, Queens to watch their favorite team play, had no idea they were going to be there for a while.

The Mets were sitting well with a 3-1 lead entering the top of the ninth inning with pitcher Jerry Koosman cruising along against the Red Birds and as mlb.com indicates, the game turned around in a big way. With two outs in the ninth with a win almost certain for the Mets, Koosman saw that lead evaporate as he gave up a two-run homer to Ken Reitz that tied the game and eventually sent the game to extra innings. Crazy enough, nobody scored until the 25th, yes 25th inning as players and the remaining fans will be sticking around for a very long time.

With the game approaching seven hours and looking to make something happen, the Cardinals led off the top of the 25th inning with an infield hit by Blake McBride who then scored all the way from first place on a wild pickoff through made by Mets pitcher Hank Webb that got away. That would be the only run scored in the inning but it would be enough for St. Louis.

With sunrise just hours away and the game going past 3 a.m., the Red Birds held on to the 4-3 win in a game that went exactly seven hours and four innings with only a little over 1,000 fans remaining in the stands at Shea Stadium. With the new extra innings rule implemented in the MLB, it is very unlikely that we will ever see a Mets game or any MLB game go on for that long ever again, so you can book it that this is and will be the longest New York Mets game in franchise history.