Mat-Su outfielder goes deep twice as Miners beat Panners

FAIRBANKS — The annual Alaska Baseball League Home Run Derby is scheduled for Sunday in Anchorage.

In the last two days, Mat-Su Miners outfielder Cameron Frost has had his personal home run derby. A night after belting a grand slam during a win over the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, Frost went deep twice to lead Mat-Su to a 7-1 win over the Alaska Goldpanners Wednesday in Fairbanks.

Frost blasted a solo shot in the second and added a two-run dinger in the third to help the Miners improve to 21-10 overall and 17-9 in league play. “He’s been like that all year. Frost, he’s an anchor. He’s played almost every inning of every game,” Taylor said of Frost earlier this week.

Mat-Su, 7-3 in its last 10 games, plated a pair of runs in the second and the third, thanks in part to Frost, to take a 4-1 lead. Frost finished 2 for 5 in the game, with three RBIs. The Washington State product is now batting .339 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. Frost has a league-high seven triples, and 22 of his 42 hits are for extra bases.

Josh Meyer and Matt Decker also had two hits each to help Mat-Su win, and the Miners snap the Panners’ nine-game winning streak. Five different Miners drove in at least a run.

Right-hander Ryan Hendrix enjoyed another strong start for the Miners. The Texas A&M product allowed three hits and one earned run over seven innings, while striking out four. Three pitchers combined to throw a four-hitter for the Miners.

Panners 7, Miners 4

FAIRBANKS — Infielder Tanner Pinkston hit a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the Alaska Goldpanners to a 7-4 win over the Mat-Su Miners Thursday in Fairbanks.

Pinkston’s home run forced a split in the two-game series in the Interior. Mat-Su dropped to 21-11 overall and 17-10 in ABL play with the loss. The Miners remain in first place of the ABL National League, four games ahead of the second-place Anchorage Glacier Pilots.

Mat-Su held an early 3-0 lead, but the Panners tied the game with three runs in the fifth. Each team scored a run in the eighth to tie the contest at 4.

Jordan Rodgers finished 3 for 4 at the plate, with a run scored and an RBI. Cameron Newell drove in a pair of runs with a fourth-inning double.

Eight of the nine Miners in the lineup finished with at least one hit. Four different Miners scored a run.

The Miners will continue play against the Panners today in Anchorage during the first day of the ABL/MLB Scouts Showcase at Mulcahy Stadium. Mat-Su will also play the Anchorage Bucs in the event, Saturday at 7 p.m. The league All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are slated for Sunday afternoon at Mulcahy.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.