Miners stomp Fire

The Mat-Su Miners continued their assault on AIA, with an 8-0 win over the Fire at Hermon Brothers Field on Saturday.

David Gruener, Brian Chrisman and Greg Keim combined for a three-hit shutout as Mat-Su (17-7 overall, 12-6 in Alaska Baseball League play) improved to 5-1 against the Fairbanks-based team this season.

Gruener fanned five batters and allowed three hits in seven innings.

Daniel Magness paced the Mat-Su offense with two hits and three RBI in the win. The University of San Diego product posted a two-run double in the seventh, and drove Joe Ercolano home with a single in the first inning.

Five of Mat-Su's eight runs were unearned. Magness, John Hee, Cal Krenke and Joey August each scored runs on AIA errors.

Ercolano, Krenke and August each had two hits.

Around the ABL

Heading into league action Monday, the Miners held a half-game lead over the Peninsula Oilers (19-9, 11-6) at the top of the ABL.

The Oilers, winners of 10 of their last 11, begin a two-game series with the third-place Anchorage Bucs today.

Mat-Su, victorious in six of its last seven, meets the Anchorage Glacier Pilots for the sixth time this season tonight at Hermon Brothers at 7.

The Miners host the Bucs for three straight starting Wednesday. As of Monday, the Bucs were two games behind Mat-Su in the league standings.

Mat-Su travels to Kenai for a four-game set on July 17.

League leaders

Mat-Su starter Chris Wietlispach is the top pitcher in the ABL, according to the league leaders released Monday.

The Yale product has posted a 0.36 earned run average in 25 innings. He is 3-0 this season.

Gruener's 0.98 ERA is third-best in the six-team league.

Mat-Su has a staff ERA of 2.49, and six pitchers have an ERA below 2.00.

Craig Bennigson, Mat-Su's closer for the first month of the season, still leads the ABL with five saves. The current closer, Mark Willinksi, is second with four.

Joe Ercolano's 34 hits are a league best. The Mat-Su outfielder is also second in the ABL with a .370 batting average.

Right fielder Donald Brown is fourth in the league with a .342 batting average.

Catcher Brent Milleville is eighth at .321.

AIA's Blake Stouffer leads the league with a .375 batting

average.