Kolberg sparks Miners

PALMER -- Koley Kolberg is establishing himself as a legitimate ace on the Mat-Su Miner staff.

Kolberg continued his stellar season with a one-hit complete game shutout to lead the Miners to a 2-0 victory over the Alaska Goldpanners in the first game of a double bill on Sunday at Hermon Brothers Field.

Kolberg earned his fourth win of the season, a team best, against the Panners.

"He just goes after hitters," Mat-Su manager Kevin Edwards said. "That's the key to being successful. If you are confident, it will show."

In six starts this season Kolberg has posted a 4-2 record with a 2.37 earned run average. His ERA is the best among the Mat-Su starters. Kolberg also has a team- high 23 strikeouts.

"He is getting better with every game," Edwards said.

In his first start of the summer, Kolberg allowed just three hits, no earned runs and struck out five in a 7-2 win over the California Dons.

Kolberg retired the first 19 hitters he faced and had a no-hitter running through more than six innings in his second start.

Kolberg surrendered only one earned run against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in his third start of the season, and threw a three-hitter last week to lead the Miners to an important 3-2 win over the Anchorage Bucs last week.

The only hit against Kolberg came in the top of the second inning when left fielder Brad Davis singled and advanced to second on an error.

Following the Davis hit, Kolberg retired the next 13 consecutive Panner hitters.

Alaska did not have another baserunner until the top of the sixth inning when Emerson Frostad reached on an error.

The only knock on Kolberg Sunday could be the five runners he sent to first via the base on balls. Even when Kolberg was not in complete control, he or his defense were able to get the Miners out of a jam.

"I was able to pitch out when I was behind in the count," Kolberg said. "I didn't have control in the first."

Three of Kolberg's five walks came in the first inning.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the first, Kolberg forced the Panners' Jeff Culpepper to ground out and Miner third baseman Jed Lowrie made a pivotal play in the infield to help Mat-Su avert a potentially disastrous inning.

Jeff Butts tripled and drove in Anthony Isabella in the top of the second to give the Miners a 1-0 lead.

Isabella got on board with a walk.

The Miners added an insurance run in the top of the fifth with a Matt Young RBI.

Young's single drove in Ryan Beglin.

Miners 2, Panners 1

The Miners defeated the Panners 2-1 on Saturday.

Jase Turner squeezed in Josh Mader on a sacrifice bunt to tie the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning for the Miners.

Later in the inning, Matt Young reached base on a Panner error and eventually scored the game-winning run.

Brian Beck picked up the win in relief for Mat-Su, allowing just one hit in one and a third inning of work.