Miners snap losing streak

CHUGIAK — June’s been rough on the Mat-Su Miners. But if Friday was any indication, things could be better in July for the Valley’s Alaska Baseball League squad.

The Miners swept the Chugiak Chinooks in a doubleheader at Loretta French Field in Chugiak Friday evening.

“It was huge to get some wins,” Miners manager Chris Gordon said about victories of 5-0 and 5-4 over the Chinooks. “The biggest thing is guys kind of start feeling good about themselves instead of feeling like they’re banging their head up against a brick wall.”

Mat-Su starter Jay Calhoun pitched a strong complete-game shutout to lead the Miners to a 5-0 win during the first of a pair of seven-inning games of the doubleheader. Calhoun fanned three, scattered five singles and walked only one. The Dallas Baptist product improved to 2-0 and lowered his earned run average to a team-best 0.87.

“Calhoun pitched incredible,” Gordon said.

Gordon was pleased with his pitching throughout the doubleheader. In the second game, starter Ross Mitchell worked five innings. He allowed eight hits and a pair of earned runs. Mitchell returned the mound after missing his last scheduled start with a sore back.

“We scratched him from his last start with a sore back. He was a little bit rusty, but settled in nicely,” Gordon said.

Aaron Gilbreath and Jimmy Reed pitched well in relief, with each working an inning. Reed pitched the seventh to notch his first save of the summer.

Chugiak was able to grab an early 2-0 lead against Mitchell during the second game, but the Miners fought back.

Mat-Su catcher P.J. Torres singled and scored in the third inning to cut Chugiak’s lead in half, and the Miners jumped ahead in the fourth.

After a quick two outs, Clint Freeman and Tanner Anderson recorded back-to-back singles. Torres cleared the bases with a double, and the Miners took the 3-2 lead.

“We were finally getting some two-out RBIs,” Gordon said.

Torres was 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored in the win.

“P.J. came up with a big hit for us. It seems like the bigger the situation, the more we can count on him,” Gordon said. “He’s been about as clutch as any guy we’ve had.”

Bill Cullen and Will Jamison scored late runs to help the Miners hold onto the lead and get the win. Cullen walked and scored in the sixth. Jamison was hit by a pitch and later scored in the top of the seventh inning.

During the first game of the doubleheader, the Miners used two triples and a home run to provide the offense for Calhoun.

Cullen jacked his second home run of the summer as the Miners built a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Jamison and Freeman both tripled in the win.

Catcher Bob Arens also had a run-scoring single in the win.

Today, the Miners begin a big six-game, five-day home stand, with a matinee against the league-leading Peninsula Oilers at 2 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field. The home stretch continues with action against the Chinooks Monday at 7 p.m. The Miners begin a four-game series with the Alaska Goldpanners Tuesday at 7 p.m., and host the Panners in a holiday doubleheader Wednesday, starting at 4 p.m.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com, follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports and find him by searching Valley Sports Huddle on Facebook.