Miners explode against Oilers on 4th of July

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners were once again victorious at Hermon Brothers Field, and now hold a 15-7 record in first place of the Alaska Baseball League. On Sunday, the Miners took on the Peninsula Oilers and won by a score of 8-2 behind a lights-out performance from the Mat-Su bullpen.

Texas A&M sophomore Will Johnston started the game and struck out six Oiler batters before coming out of the game in the fourth inning. Nate Beimel got the win with two scoreless innings in relief and Aaron Winkler tacked on another two scoreless, striking out three batters.

“Our bullpen has been so good so far this year. Beimel was phenomenal again and seeing Winkler come out again, he was good so when we go to our bullpen I’m really never nervous. A lot of goals for the offense is to get to the bullpen, I’m not worried when we get to our bullpen our bullpen is stacked in the back end,” said Miners head coach Tyler LeBrun.

The Miners offense did their damage early and often during the July 4 ballgame. Prior to the game, the Miners marched in the 4th of July parade in Wasilla. Sunday afternoon, the Miners put on their camo jerseys for a matchup with the Oilers and started hot. First baseman Aaron Walters drove in Tyler Wilson with a sacrifice fly in the second inning and J.D. Urso scored on a wild pitch in the third inning.

“It’s always nice to have options, it’s always nice to have difficulty writing a lineup card,” said LeBrun. “Putting together a lineup card right now with guys swinging the bat the way they are is really difficult but that’s a good problem to have.”

The Miners scored a run in both the 2nd and 3rd innings and scored three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to take an 8-0 lead. Walters singled to start off the 4th inning. Catcher Tyler Rando hit a single that knocked in Ferrara and Walters and was later driven in by E.J. Cumbo.

In the fifth inning, Nick Cirelli earned one of his two walks to lead off. Cirelli was driven in by a Rando double. Tyler Wilson then singled to score Rando. Second baseman Josh Mrozek singled to score Rando.

“We had 1,600 fans tonight and to get a ‘w,’ it’s easy to play in front of this crowd but to get to play in front of them on July 4th wearing the camo is just another feeling and our guys really took to that. We tip our caps to all the veterans out there. We appreciate everything they’ve done and being able to play in front of them was awesome for our guys,” said LeBrun.

Rando led the Miners at the plate with two hits, two runs and three RBI. Walters also had a pair of hits and runs. Wilson had a pair of hits and runs to go along with an RBI. Miners relief pitchers threw a combined five and one third innings. In nine innings of work against Oilers hitters, the Miners only allowed four hits and struck out 11 batters.

The Miners will play four games at Hermon Brothers Field this week. Mat-Su will play Tuesday against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, Wednesday against the Fairbanks Goldpanners and and Thursday against the Oilers.