Mat-Su scores a pair of wins on the road

July 24, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

FAIRBANKS - Mat-Su's six-game road trip in Fairbanks started off rocky, but ended on a winning note.

The Miners salvaged the trek to Fairbanks with a pair of wins over the Alaska Goldpanners during the weekend.

Joe Matteo and Max Peterson combined for a five-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over the Panners on Sunday at Growden Park in Fairbanks.

Matteo improved to 3-1 by striking out six and walking only two during seven scoreless innings. The Lehigh product allowed only three hits.

Peterson pitched the final two innings to earn his first save of the summer.

Michael Ewing drove in Ben Price in the top of the first inning to give the Miners the early lead. It marked the 11th time this season, Mat-Su had scored a first-inning run to take an early lead.

The Miners added runs in the fourth and ninth.

Ewing and Donald Brown pulled off the double steal in the fourth. Brown stole second, and Ewing stole home on the play.

Price scored on a Joey August double in the ninth.

On Saturday, Brown singled and Joe Ercolano scored to give the Miners an 8-7 win over the Goldpanners.

Mat-Su scored four times in the third to build a 7-2 lead, but the Panners added five late runs to tie the game at

7-7.

In the ninth, Ryan Conan posted a one-out single. Ercolano entered the game for Conan as a pinch runner, and two batters later, Brown drove Ercolano in.

Chris Cullen earned the win in relief for Mat-Su.

Center fielder Carl Uhl led the Miners at the plate. Uhl finished 2-for-3 with three RBI. He led-off the game with a solo home run, and added a two-run double in the third.

Shortstop Derek Helenihi also had two hits and three RBI.

The Miners finished 2-4 during the trip to the Interior. It is one of two major road trips on the Mat-Su schedule. The Miners start a three-game road trip in Kenai against the Peninsula Oilers on Thursday.

Mat-Su is at Mulcahy Stadium for games against the Anchorage Bucs tonight and Wednesday.

The first pitch is slated for 7 p.m. each night. Mat-Su has just one home game left on the schedule. The Miners host the Anchorage Glacier Pilots July 31 at 6 p.m.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.