Goldeyes lose longest game in league history

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This article was published 10/07/2018 (2654 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes were up in time to make it to their 11 a.m. start on Tuesday at Shaw Park, but their bats never woke up — despite having lots of time to do so.

Tuesday’s game with the Sioux Falls Canaries ended up being the equivalent of a doubleheader, taking 18 innings to settle the score before Sioux Falls grabbed the 4-2 win.

Luckily the game started early, as it ended up being the longest game in American Association history in terms of innings and the second-longest game by time as it took five hours and 33 minutes before the final out. The longest game by time was Game 4 of last year’s American Association final at Shaw Park between the Goldeyes and Wichita Winguts, which went five hours and 59 minutes before the Fish escaped with a 4-3 win in 17 innings.

“It was a good game with a lot of good pitching,” Goldeyes fielder Reggie Abercrombie said after Tuesday’s marathon game. “We had a lot of chances that we didn’t take advantage of and they did, so they came away with the victory, so hats off to them.”

The Goldeyes’ offence was ice cold and they were held to nine hits on the day. The team’s three, four and five hitters — Josh Romanski, Abercrombie and Dave Sappelt — were a combined 2-for-20 with three walks.

Both teams were forced to use seven pitchers before Goldeyes reliever Carter Johnson gave up the game-winning two-run homer to Sioux Falls’ Chris Grayson in the 18th inning. Canaries’ infielder Tyler Wolfe pitched four innings of shutout ball to pick up the win — his first of the season.

Other than two runs in the second inning, one of which was scored on a throwing error, Sioux Falls didn’t light up the scoreboard, either. They finished the 18-inning affair with 13 hits, but that’s all they needed. Goldeyes starter Alex Boshers held up his end of the bargain, as in his six innings of work, he only gave up one earned run on three hits and struck out three in a no-decision. A marathon game was the last thing the Goldeyes needed — especially one ending in a loss — as the team has played 27 days in a row without an off day. The Fish have four more games, all at home, before they can finally take a breather.

The one bright spot in the game for the Fish was Abercrombie picking up his 500th career stolen base in the sixth inning, prior to scoring on a wild pitch. The 37-year old Abercrombie is in his 19th season of professional baseball and fifth with the Goldeyes. Abercrombie has stated that he will be retiring after this season, but wanted to return this year for the opportunity to win the American Association championship for the third year in a row.

“It means a lot,” Abercrombie said on his stolen base accomplishment. “I’m happy that I got it done in front of the fans.”

The loss drops the Goldeyes to 22-29 while Sioux Falls’ record sits at 20-28. After Tuesday’s game, the Goldeyes sat 5.5 games behind the division-leading Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

The Goldeyes and Canaries will meet again today in Game 3 of their four-game series at Shaw Park at their normal start time of 7 p.m.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @TaylorAllen31