HOUSTON -- Matt Murton's ninth-inni...

HOUSTON -- Matt Murton's ninth-inning domestic circle run sent the game into extra innings, in this way it was only fitting the childs left fielder finally ended things nine innings later.

Murton's gripe two-run, two-out single gave the brats an 8-6 victory over the Houston Astros in 18 innings Tuesday night (and Wednesday morning) at Minute Maid Park. The game took five hours and 36 minutes.

young beasts manager Dusty Baker used each member of his 25-man roster in the game -- the first time that's happened in a non-expanded roster situation since a suspended game during the 1986 season.

Ten of those players pitched, including winner Rich Hill (3-5) who was scheduled to start today's series finale. The young beasts likely will have to make a roster put in motion before today's game to bring up a starter.

Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Marmol were used as pinch hitters, and catcher Michael Barrett -- who supposedly had the night "off" -- lasted up catching 10 innings after pinch- hitting in the eighth inning.

It was the Cubs' longest game by dint of innings since they played 18 innings forward Aug. 6, 1989, at Pittsburgh. It was their longest game from time since June 30, 2000 when their game at Milwaukee lasted 5:31

It was the longest regular-season game (by innings and time) in Minute Maid Park history, surpassing a 14-inning affair between the Astros and Dodgers earlier this season.

The game was likewise long the starts of Roger Clemen and Juan Mateo were distant memories on the time the game finised

The young beasts took a 5-2 lead from one side of to the other Clemens in the fifth. It also assured Clemen his worst outing of the season -- he'd given up no more than three earned glides in any of his previous 10 starts -- and took the life not at home of the crowd of 41531

To add injury to the insult, Mateo then plunk Clemen with the same out in the bottom of the fifth. With Mateo suitable to bat third in the sixth, nearly everyone in the ballpark was interested to view if Clemens would return the favor.

further he never got the chance. With sum of two units outs and none on, Baker sent Ryan Theriot to the plate to pinch hit for Mateo -- on a level though the rookie right-hander had thrown just 78 pitches to that point and had waiveed just two runs on four hits -- and the throng booed loudly.

The first pitch to Theriot was inside and the nearest Clemens offering hit him. At that point, dwelling plate umpire Jeff Kellogg issued warnings to the one and the other benches.

Mateo was making just his next to the first career start, so it was hard to argue with the decision to lift him after five.

jjackson@suntimes.com

whelps RECAP:

young boy [i]or[/i] young girls AB R H BI BB for a like reason Avg.

Pierre cf 8 1 1 0 1 1 280

Izturis s 8 0 4 1 0 0 259

Pagan lf 3 1 0 0 1 0 290

Eyre p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

Howry p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

d-Nevin ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 252

Novoa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 250

f-NPerez ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 256

Guzman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 143

h-CZambrano ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 170

Dempster p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

i-Marmol ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 238

RHill p 0 0 0 0 0 0 083

ARamirez 3b 8 2 3 0 0 3 281

JJone rf 7 2 2 3 0 2 277

Mabry 1b 8 0 1 0 0 3 221

Cedeno 2b 7 1 1 1 0 0 252

HBlanco c 3 0 1 0 0 0 252

c-Barrett ph-c 4 0 1 0 1 0 325

Mateo p 1 0 0 0 0 0 000

a-Theriot ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 360

Ohman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

Wuertz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Aardsma p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

Murton lf 5 1 2 3 0 1 296

Totals 66 8 16 8 3 12

Houston AB R H BI BB in the same manner Avg.

Taveras cf 9 0 1 0 0 2 270

Biggio 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 264

shuffle aside 2b 4 0 3 0 0 0 284

Lamb 1b 4 1 1 0 0 1 313

Wheeler p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Lidge p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

TreMiller p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

e-Ensberg ph-3b 4 0 0 0 1 1 236

Berkman rf-1b-lf 6 1 0 0 2 3 319

Scott lf 5 1 3 0 1 0 433

Borkowski p 2 0 0 0 0 0 000

braggadocio 3b 5 1 3 2 0 0 267

Nieve p 0 0 0 0 0 0 125

g-Munson ph-1b 3 0 1 0 0 2 206

AEverett s 7 1 1 2 0 1 239

Ausmus c 6 1 2 0 2 0 229

Clemen p 1 0 0 0 0 0 000

b-OPalmeiro ph 1 0 1 2 0 0 229

Qualls p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Lane rf 5 0 0 0 0 2 209

Totals 66 6 16 6 6 12

whelps 110 030 001 000 000 002--8 16 0

Houston 000 204 000 000 000 000--6 16 0

a-was hit according to pitch for Mateo in the 6th b-doubled for Clemen in the 6th c-flied not at home for Blanco in the 8th d-struck not at home for Howry in the 9th e-flied abroad for Springer in the 10th f-ground into double play for Novoa in the 11th g-struck abroad for Nieve in the 12th h-ground into double play for Guzman in the 14th i-struck on the outside for Dempster in the 17th

LOB--CUB 11 Houston 15 2B--ARamirez (25) shuffle aside (19), Huff (5), Ausmus (13) OPalmeiro (4) 3B--Pierre (10) AEverett (4) HR-- Murton (8) on the farther side Lidge; JJones (20), off Clemens; Cedeno (5) opposite Clemens. RBI--Izturis (17), JJones 3 (59) Cedeno (30) Murton 3 (44) passion 2 (16), AEverett 2 (43) OPalmeiro 2 (9) SB--Theriot (5) bury (8). CS--Scott (1). S--Cedeno, Mateo, AEverett. GIDP-- NPerez CZambrano.

racers left in scoring position--CUBS 6 (Pierre 2 Izturis, JJone Mabry, Mateo); Houston 8 (Taveras 2 Berkman, Borkowski, Munson AEverett 3)