Chinooks slip past Miners

CHUGIAK — The Chugiak Chinooks needed one first to pull off another.

Chugiak managed to score the first earned run of the season off Mat-Su starter Zach Warren, and the Chinooks held on for a 2-0 Alaska Baseball League victory over the Miners Sunday evening at Loretta French Field in Chugiak.

Chugiak’s Jacob Brobst and Holt Davis each scored runs and starter Conner Menez pitched into the seventh to help Chugiak improve to 9-6 in ABL play and earn its first win of the summer in seven tries against the Miners. Mat-Su, meanwhile, held on to the top spot in the Alaska Baseball League National Division despite dropping to 10-4 in ABL play with the loss.

The rivals met again Monday night. Results were not available prior to Frontiersman press time.

Warren, a University of Tennessee product, was tagged for his first loss of the season, but continued his masterful June Sunday. The lefty scattered four hits over six innings, and fanned nine while walking only one. The lone earned run, Brobst score on a Chugiak sacrifice fly, was the first allowed by Warren this summer.

Warren, now among league leaders with a 0.45 earned run average, faced more than 70 hitters before allowing his first run of the season. He is now 2-1 overall, with 27 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched.

Trent Thompson and Caleb McCann each worked an inning of relief, with both recording a pair of strikeouts.

The ABL North Division rivals combined for only five hits in the game.

Menez, the Chinooks starter, allowed two hits, fanned nine and walked one over 6 1/3 innings of work. Ted Christie pitched 2 2/3 innings to record the long save.

Matt Diorio led the Miners with a pair of hits in the loss. Alex Caruso also had a hit.

Sunday’s contest as the first of four straight against the Chinooks. Following Mat-Su’s home game at Hermon Brothers Monday night, the Miners return to Loretta French to face the Chinooks Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are set for 7 p.m.

After Wednesday’s game, the Miners begin a stretch against the Anchorage Bucs and Alaska Goldpanners. Mat-Su travels to Anchorage to meet the Bucs at 7 p.m. at Mulchay Stadium. Saturday, the Miners start a four-game homestand that features two against the Panners, two against the Bucs and a fifth game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.