Late runs help Miners score win over Oilers

KENAI — Sometimes it’s just a matter of putting the ball in play.

After Matt Decker knocked a ball into left field, a pair of runs scored on an error to help the Mat-Su Miners score a 4-1 win over the Peninsula Oilers Saturday after in Kenai.

Decker hit the plate in the top of the eighth inning with two outs, two runners on and the score tied at 1. Jonny Locher and Josh Meyer both scored when Decker reached on the Oilers error. The scoring was part of a three-run inning that helped the Miners improve to 11-8 in Alaska Baseball League play. The win also set up, at least temporarily, set up a tie at the top of the ABL National League standings, with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots (12-7). Anchorage played late Saturday night.

Decker also scored on a Nick Blaser single during Mat-Su’s three-run eighth. Meyer led the Miners at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with a run scored.

Paul Panaccione was 2 for 5 for Mat-Su. Six different Miners finished with at least one hit.

Tyler Stubblefield improved to 3-0 on the season, and earned his second straight win over the Oilers. Stubblefield also pitched the Miners to a 4-1 on June 29 at Hermon Brothers Field.

Saturday, Stubblfield scattered seven hits over eight innings. He fanned three and walked two. Peninsula’s lone run came in the bottom of the second inning.

Vince Arobio pitched the ninth to earn his league-best fifth save of the summer. Arobio was helped out in the ninth by a diving catch by Mat-Su centerfielder Cameron Frost, which robbed Nick Thurman of a potential extra-bases hit.

Friday, the Oilers scored three runs in the final two innings to grab a 9-6 win over Mat-Su.

Frost tripled and finished with two hits in the loss. Locher and Mitchell Nau also had a pair of hits for the Miners.

Cameron Newell scored twice and Dayne Wunderlich drove in a pair of runs.

Today, the Miners will get their first look at the Alaska Goldpanners. Mat-Su will host the Fairbanks club in a doubleheader that starts at 4 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field.

The doubleheader starts a five-game homestand for the Miners. Mat-Su hosts Peninsula in its final game of the summer against the Oilers, Monday at 7 p.m.

Chugiak visits Hermon Brothers on Tuesday and Wednesday.