Miners edge Bucs in extra innings

ANCHORAGE — It took seven pitchers and 11 innings, but the Mat-Su Miners found a way to bounce the Anchorage Bucs.

Mat-Su scored two runs in the top of the 11th to score a 5-3 win over the Bucs at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage on Monday.

Nick DeBiasse forced in the go-ahead run in the 11th when he was hit with a Justin Hopper pitch. Pablo Bermudez, who led off the inning with a single, scored to give the Miners the 4-3 lead. Quinn Pippen was intentionally walked and scored on an Anchorage error to give the Miners the 5-3 advantage.

Reliever Colin Cloud, an Anchorage native, pitched a perfect 10th to record the win, and Kirk Jewasko retired three straight in the 11th to earn his first save of the season.

Mat-Su used six relievers in the contest after starter Matt Applegate pitched six scoreless innings. Applegate, a Kansas State freshman, allowed only two hits and two walks through six. He also struck out one batter.

Jason Trivett, Gage Smith, Joaquin Hinojosa and Andy Mee were also used out of the Mat-Su bullpen.

David Lyon gave the Miners the 1-0 lead with a run-scoring triple in the fourth. Tyler Ruch, who led off the inning with a double, scored on the play.

The Miners took a 2-0 lead in the sixth when Wesley Thigpen singled and later scored on an error. After his single, Thigpen advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved over to third on a balk by Anchorage pitcher Tyler Spurlin.

After Anchorage tied the score with a pair of runs in the seventh, Mee walked and scored on a Bemudez single in the eighth to give the Miners the 3-2 lead.

Anchorage forced extra innings when Chris Serritella walked and scored on a Sean Sullivan single in the bottom of the ninth.

Mat-Su improved to 8-2 in Alaska Baseball League play with the victory. Results of the Miners’ home contest against the Peninsula Oilers were unavailable prior to press time. For more on that contest, see www.frontiersman.com/sports.

The Miners start a six-day, seven-game road trip tonight in Anchorage. Mat-Su meets the Bucs at 7 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium. Mat-Su begins a four-day, five-game in Kenai on Saturday.

WHERE’S THURSDAY’S GAME?

Due to a temporary change in the print schedule of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, results of the Mat-Su Miners’ game against the Peninsula Oilers on Thursday at Hermon Brothers Field were not available prior to press time. For coverage of the game, see www.frontiersman.com/sports.