WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada – Kansas City spotted Winnipeg five runs in the first inning, only to come back and see an eventual six-run lead evaporate, as the T-Bones lost, 16-15, in a game that lasted 11 innings and nearly five hours Friday night at Shaw Park.

Kansas City pitcher Mike Kickham, who’s become somewhat of an ace for the T-Bones, had an un-Kickham-like start, as he faced nine batters in the first inning and allowed five runs. The first four batters of the game reached for the Goldeyes, with Maikol Gonzalez doubling, Josh Romanski walking, Willie Cabrera reaching on a fielder’s choice and Reggie Abercrombie delivering a two-run single that gave Winnipeg a 2-0 lead. The Goldeyes extended their lead with a sacrifice fly by David Rohm and then an RBI single by Casio Grider. To continue with the unusual start for Kickham, Grider advanced to third on two wild pitches to Ridge Hoopi-Haslam. A base hit by Hoopi-Haslam scored Grider and put the Goldeyes ahead, 5-0.

The T-Bones, however, scored in each of the next six innings, including two four-run frames. The first four-run inning, the top of the third, is when Kansas City took its first lead. After scoring two in the second on an RBI fielder’s choice by Brian Erie and an RBI single by Starlin Rodriguez that scored Vladimir Frias and Erie, respectively, Kansas City sent nine to the plate in the third. The first six batters in the inning reached. After Jake Blackwood singled, Winnipeg starter Mikey O’Brien loaded the bases by walking Gallas and Frias, for the second time. Dalton Wheat then got his second hit of the game, scoring Blackwood. On the play, the ball got away from shortstop Gonzalez, and Gallas raced home, cutting Winnipeg’s lead to 5-4. The next batter, Erie, roped a ball to center for a hit that scored Frias and Wheat, and gave Kansas City its first lead of the game at 6-5.

Kansas City tacked on a run in the fourth on a lead-off home run by Blackwood, his 12th of the season, against reliever Brandon Shimo. By the end of the game, Blackwood would get three hits and be on base for five of his six plate appearances.

The Goldeyes tied the game at 7-7 with two runs in the fourth against Kickham. With one out, Carlton Tanabe reached on a base hit to short right field that appeared to be bobbled and caught by the second baseman Wiley. The umpires conferred and decided Wiley dropped it. After Gonzalez walked, Romanski brought in Tanabe and Gonzalez with a double to left that went over the head of Rodriguez.

Kansas City, seemingly, took control of the game with another four-run inning. In the top of the fifth, with one out, Rodriguez got his second of three hits, which was followed by a Tyler Massey double. Winnipeg elected to intentionally walk Blackwood — his second free pass of the game. Gallas made the Goldeyes pay with a grand slam, his 11th homer of the year, that gave Kansas City an 11-7 lead.

The T-Bones added two more runs and went ahead 13-7 in the sixth, thanks largely to two Winnipeg errors, on consecutive batters, and a double by Rodriguez.

The Goldeyes stormed back with another five-run inning, this time against reliever David Holman, who started the sixth in place of Kickham. With one out, Romanski singled and went to second when Cabrera reached on an error by third baseman Sergio Leon. Abercrombie doubled, scoring Romanski. Two batters after Rohm reached on an error by shortstop Vladimir Frias, Casio Grider doubled home Abercrombie. Johnny Shuttlesworth relieved Holman and proceeded to give up a two-run double to Hoopi-Haslam, who was thrown out by Wheat trying to stretch it into a triple. Nonetheless, Kansas City’s lead had dwindled to 13-12.

Kansas City got two of those runs back in the seventh after Gallas was hit in the head by a pitch leading off the inning. Frias and Wheat greeted relief pitcher Kyle Lotzkar with back-to-back singles, the second of which scored Gallas and was Wheat’s fourth hit of the game. Frias then made it 15-12 when he scored on a wild pitch by Lotzkar.

Winnipeg tacked on a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Cabrera against relief pitcher Tyler Ybarra. Ybarra’s struggles continued in the eighth, when he hit two batters, walked two walks and gave up a base hit, as the Goldeyes tied the game at 15-15.

After Winnipeg’s fifth pitcher, Cameron McVey (2-2), faced the minimum through the final 3 1/3 innings, the Goldeyes got the break they needed in the 11th. Evan DeLuca (2-3) hit Romanski, who went to second on a sacrifice by Cabrera. The T-Bones intentionally walked Abercrombie, who went to second on a wild pitch. DeLuca walked Rohm, setting up Jacob Rogers, who blooped a base hit to right that scored Romanski.

When it was all said and done, Kansas City and Winnipeg combined for 31 runs, 31 hits, six errors, 11 pitchers and a 4 hour, 43-minute game.

Kansas City (29-36) is scheduled to face Winnipeg (36-29) in game two of the three-game series on Saturday night at 7:00. All of the action can be heard online at TBonesBaseball.com.