Miners fall twice in Fairbanks

July 20, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

FAIRBANKS - Jeff Pritchard is calling the first two games of his team's six-game road trip in the Interior a learning experience.

&#8220So far, it's been a good lesson,” the Mat-Su head coach said Thursday, referring to consecutive losses suffered this week at Growden Field in Fairbanks. &#8220We just need to clean our game up a little bit.”

Mat-Su took the trip north with a hold onto first place of the Alaska Baseball League. But as of Thursday, the Miners were sitting in second after a 13-3 loss to AIA on Tuesday and 6-1 loss to the Alaska Goldpanners on Wednesday.

&#8220I think the effort is there,” Pritchard said. &#8220We're getting good swings.”

This is the first major road trek of the season for Mat-Su. The Miners have had the luxury of playing 18 of their first 24 games at home, and Pritchard said the Miners just need to start adjusting to life on the road.

&#8220With the great crowds at home, we were getting a little fat and happy,” Pritchard joked. &#8220We just need to toughen up a little bit.”

The Mat-Su pitching staff surrendered double digits in runs for just the second time this season in the loss Tuesday. AIA had a 13-0 advantage in the game, before the Miners were able to put together three runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Ryan Ortiz doubled and drove in two runs in the inning. Gunner Terhune added an RBI single.

Joe Matteo was tagged with the loss. He was pulled in the fourth inning after allowing six earned runs on six hits.

Paul Keller led the Fire, going 4-for-4 with five RBI.

The following night, the Goldpanners burnt reliever Steve Kalush for three runs in the seventh to seal the 6-1 win over Mat-Su.

Mat-Su's lone run came in the sixth on a Ryan Conan RBI single.

Mat-Su faced the Goldpanners again on Thursday, but results were not available prior to press time.

The road trip continues with a match against AIA tonight at 7 p.m., and concludes with a two-game series with the Panners starting Saturday.

Mat-Su returns home to host the Anchorage Glacier Pilots Monday at 6 p.m.

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