Miners score big win over the Bucs

The hottest team in the Alaska Baseball League has unquestionably been the Mat-Su Miners as of late.

After a critical home victory over the Peninsula Oilers to keep themselves at second in the ABL standings, the Miners were now setting their sights on the top team in the league, and potentially taking the crown for themselves. However, as has been the case during the win streak, this was not going to be easy.

But the Miners prevailed, grabbing a 4-3 win over the Anchorage Bucs Sunday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

To start things off, Mat-Su went with staff ace Jack Hostetler who was no stranger to the Anchorage Bucs in July. He just pitched against them in the Monday matchup in which the Miners won 1-0, and now was looking to repeat the performance at Mulcahy Stadium. However, the Bucs were not going to be held scoreless this time as they immediately pounced in the fist inning with a solo home run shot from Max Ross to put the Bucs in front. Then Andrew Lamb would deliver a double to get back-to-back extra base hits for Anchorage. Things would only get worse with a Josh Hankins RBI Double followed by a Payton Knowles SAC Fly to score Cole Carlon. After 1, the Bucs had completely taken command with a 3-0 victory. However, the Bucs and scoring would not be a relationship that would last.

In the top of the second Inning, Mat-Su would get a single from Dom Patrizi, but would otherwise be held scoreless. Jack Hostetler would help the Miners defense with two straight K’s to end the inning leaving the score at 3-0. The third inning was all about the awakening of the Mat-Su offense as Blake Balsz would walk and make it all the way to 3rd with 2 outs, giving the Miners a chance to put a run on the board. This set up Drake Kerr, who would deliver a massive two-out RBI single to score Balsz and give the Miners a 3-1 game. After a scoreless bottom of the third, the Miners would get another chance to take a bite out of the lead.

Mat-Su would get 1-2-3'd in the top of the fourth, which would lead to a pivotal bottom frame. The Bucs would find a way to bases loaded with one out, putting Mat-Su in more peril than they had experienced in a while. However a clutch double play from the Miners defense would hold the Bucs on their ship and keep the score at 3-1. This led to the top of the fifth where the hottest batter in the ABL, Chase Wilcox, would deliver yet another RBI Single to score Blake Balsz and put the lead at one run. The Miners were creeping back into frame and were now on the precipice of another dramatic comeback.

After a scoreless sixth inning on both sides, the Miners would make a massive statement in the top of the seventh with a Chase Wilcox single to start things off. However, immediately afterward Drake Kerr grounded a ball that would take out Wilcox and put Kerr on 1st with a Fielder’s Choice. However, Kerr would not waste his opportunity by stealing second then coming home to tie the game on two straight throwing errors from the Bucs. It was one of the most unorthodox ways to tie a game, but things would only get crazier.

In the bottom of the seventh, Mat-Su would bring in Ryan Harrahill to take over for Jack Hostetler and would do a great job of limiting the Bucs offense with no runs allowed. That trend would continue in the eighth Inning on both sides with Harrahill claiming two clutch strikeouts along the way. This set up a dramatic 9th where the end result was anyone’s guess. Blake Balsz would start the inning off by getting on base off an error. He would eventually reach third on two straight outs from Mat-Su Batters and would be joined by Chase Wilcox on base with an intentional walk. Normally, this is where someone would deliver a hit that would flip the game on its head, but instead the unthinkable happened. Chase Wilcox began moving toward second base to see if he could get the pitcher, Chad Gurnea, to get distracted enough to send Blake Balsz Home. However, instead Balsz would end up committing a balk which would in the process send Balsz Home and give Mat-Su the lead. The top of the 9th ended soon after but the damage had been done. In the bottom frame, Drew Koenen would come in to clean up the game and help Mat-su to a 4-3 win.

With win No. 19 secured for Mat-Su, they have now won four straight road games, three straight games against the Bucs, and seven straight games overall. No one else in the ABL has even gone beyond a win streak of five on the season, making this win streak all the more incredible. They now find themselves just one game behind the Bucs in the standings, and three games above the Peninsula Oilers for second in the ABL. With just eight games left in the regular season, there is no denying that this year’s Mat-Su Miners team is a threat that is putting the entire ABL on notice.