Rockies Rain on Dodgers Parade 5-4 in 16 Inning Marathon

Nolan Arenado hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the 16th inning, and the Colorado Rockies outlasted the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 on Tuesday night in one of the longest games in franchise history.

Last Thursday's starter Mat Latos served up a 95 MPH cut fastball to Arenado that the gold glove third baseman blasted into orbit for his NL-leading 39th home run of the season, putting an eventual end to the 5 hour and 27 minute marathon game.

"It was a long game, we battled, but that homer was great," Arenado said. "We used everyone out there, so that really is a good team win."

The Rockies led 3-1 after four innings of the rain soaked game and took back the lead again in the 11th before the Dodgers rallied not once, but twice throughout the game.

Unfortunately, the third time was not the charm despite the Dodgers threatening in the bottom of the 16th, stranding the tying run in rookie Corey Seager just 90 feet away.

"We had a few chances to win the game in the extra innings," Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly said. "You don't really think at this time of the year you'll run out of guys, but we pretty much just ran out of guys."

Brett Anderson started the game on Tuesday night, even though the game ended on Wednesday morning. Anderson gave the team another quality start despite not pitching since Sunday, September 6th in San Diego when he left the game with a left calf injury.

"It was rainy and misty, I slipped a lot, but I guess I slip when it's dry too," Anderson joked of his injury history. "For some reason when we play the Rockies it always rains. It's a weird coincidence."

Even though Anderson barely remembers his start, the left-hander allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts in six innings.

"It was a while ago," Anderson said of his start. "After not having pitched in a while my stuff was pretty good and I was able to be fairly efficient for six innings and keep us in the game."

Justin Ruggiano started in left field and led off the game with a double down the third base line. Ruggiano is 8-for-19 with four doubles and two homers against left-handed pitchers since joining the Dodgers.

Two batters later, Justin Turner singled home Ruggiano completing the Justin-to-Justin connection, and giving LA an early 1-0 lead.

The debut of MLB's No. 1 prospect Corey Seager has been fraught with fortune as well as folly. The latter occurred in the fourth inning when Seager made a great stop on a ground ball to the hole, but than wildly threw the ball past third base and to the backstop allowing a runner to score and the Rockies with two runners in scoring position.

"You're going to make plays, those guys haven't played together, so I don't necessarily think it was a bad play," Mattingly said defending Seager.

Colorado would put up three runs that inning thanks to the error by Seager, but the Dodgers would comeback in the bottom of the seventh.

After a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Chris Heisey, pinch-hitter Austin Barnes knocked in the first RBI of his career with a bloop single to left field that fell between Brandon Barnes and Arenado allowing Jimmy Rollins to score the tying run.

Justin Morneau hit a one-out triple off the wall in center field in the 11th inning before leaving the game for pinch runner Ben Paulsen. Paulsen scored a few pitches later when LeMahieu singled up the middle off Dodgers' reliever Juan Nicasio.

Colorado closer John Axford blew the save in the bottom of the 11th inning, allowing an infield single to Chris Heisey with the tying run on third base before inducing an inning-ending double play. It was Axford's sixth blown save this season.

Latos had been sent to the bullpen for long relief after his last start in San Diego when he gave up four runs in four innings before coming out of the game. The game-winning home run to Arenado certainly didn't help his chances of returning to the starting rotation anytime soon.

Bunting on Brett:

The Rockies must have found something in the scouting report on the athleticism of starter Brett Anderson. Both Charlie Blackmon and Jose Reyes led off the game with back-to-back bunt singles off Anderson.

"Greinke might be the only pitcher who makes those plays," Anderson said of the back-to-back bunts. "They were both perfect bunts. I'm not a great fielder, but it would have been miraculous plays to get those outs."

Rockies scouting report on Brett Anderson: bunt, bunt and bunt again — Eric Stephen (@truebluela) September 16, 2015

$10 Million Dollar Shave Club:

Brett Anderson was seen in the Dodgers dugout during the extra innings game shaving the black paint off of his bat while teammates Clayton Kershaw and Scott Van Slyke looked on.

"It was out of boredom," Anderson said. "I haven't really used my bats for anything good lately, so I figured I'd do something to pass the time. Hopefully we play nine tomorrow and get a win."

"Idle hands are the devils workshop." pic.twitter.com/J8R7BWBpTE — Vin Scully (@VinScullyTweet) September 16, 2015

Game Notes:
A total of 58 combined players were used in the game, a MLB record, shattering the previous record of 54 by Seattle and Texas in 1992.

24 combined pitchers were used in the game, also an MLB record, breaking the previous mark of 21 in 2006.

The Dodgers set a franchise record by using 11 different pitchers in the game. The Rockies set an MLB record by using 13 different pitchers in the game.

The Dodgers tied a franchise record by using 28 different players. The Rockies broke an NL record and tied an MLB record by using 30 players on the night.

Rain fell at Dodger Stadium during the middle innings. It was the first time it rained at Chavez Ravine since the last time the Rockies were in town on May 14th when a 90-minute rain delay cost the Dodgers in a 5-4 loss.

The 16-inning marathon was the longest game since April 29th, 2007 against the San Diego Padres (17 innings).