Howe: Longest Game Is Not Long Enough

MILWAUKEE — The game had just finished, three hours 20 minutes after it started, but Oakland Athletics Manager Art Howe was going to have his say, and he was ejected for saying it.

Jeff Cirillo’s RBI single in the seventh inning lifted the Milwaukee Brewers, who open a three-game series on Friday in Anaheim Stadium, to a 1-0 victory that wasn’t cinched until right fielder Jeromy Burnitz had thrown out Scott Brosius at home to end the game.

It was the longest 1-0, nine-inning game in major league history, but it should have been longer and shouldn’t have been 1-0, according to Howe.

“The guy beat the play and we just lost a game we shouldn’t have lost,” he fumed. “I don’t see how you miss that call. He blew the call, plain and simple.”

“He,” in this case, was plate umpire Dale Ford, who objected when asked by Howe if he had a plane to catch.

Brosius did a hook slide and was sure he had touched the plate with his right hand before catcher Jesse Levis applied the tag.

The game featured eight pitchers and 14 walks.

The A’s managed only four hits, including two singles off starter Jeff D’Amico. Mike Fetters (1-0), who came off the disabled list on Monday night, pitched two scoreless innings for the victory, and Doug Jones pitched the ninth for his sixth save.