Miners score big win over the Bucs

The Mat-Su Miners used a big inning late to cement a win.

The Miners scored eight runs in the eighth during a 12-2 win over the Anchorage Bucs Wednesday night at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

The Miners, who improved to 25-12 with the win, will finish second in the Alaska Baseball League regular season standings and will be the No. 2 seed in the ABL postseason.

Mat-Su will host the Bucs in a single-game first-round playoff series Sunday at 2 p.m. at Hermon Brothers. The Anchorage Glacier Pilots will host the Peninsula Oilers in the other ABL semifinal, also at 2 p.m. Sunday. The winner of those games will play Monday for the ABL title.

Nathan Rose iced the victory over the Bucs on Wednesday with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Vergara also had a two-run single during the inning. Jacob Steele, Josh Paino and Blake Avila also drove in runs during the eighth.

Avila led Mat-Su with three hits during the win. Rose, Steven Lancia, Nick Cirelli and Cade Manning scored two runs each.

Mason Brandenberger scored the win on the mound in relief. Brandenberger allowed only two hits and fanned four during five innings of work.

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