Miners sweep Chinooks

PALMER — In his debut with the Mat-Su Miners early in the season, right-hander Tyler Wyatt found himself on the losing end of 1-0 pitcher’s duel in Kenai. Wyatt returned to the mound for his second start of the season Wednesday. The Grand Canyon University product enjoyed a similar performance, but there wasn’t much of a duel.

Wyatt tossed five innings of no-hit baseball, and helped the Miners score an 8-3 win over the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks at Lee Jordan Field in Chugiak.

“He threw a ton of strikes and competed in the zone,” Miners head coach Ben Taylor said in a press release issued by the team. “He had a really good feel for his breaking ball, which was a big improvement from the way he throw in his first start.”

Wyatt, a former Gatorade Player of the Year for baseball in Arizona, scattered four hits and an earned run over seven innings. He fanned five, while walking only two. Wyatt, now 1-1, allowed five hits and an earned run in 5 2/3 innings during a 1-0 loss to the Peninsula Oilers on June 8.

Wyatt’s work on the mound combined with 15 Mat-Su hits, helped the Miners improve to 5-2 overall. The victory was the team’s fifth straight.

Josh Bissonette finished 3 for 5 at the plate, and was one of eight Miners to score a run. Catcher Josh Rolette led the Miners with two RBI. Rolette, Levi Jordan, Cam Montgomery and Jacob Hughey had two hits each.

Mat-Su plated five of its runs during the first inning.

The victory was the second for Mat-Su in as many nights at Lee Jordan Field. Mat-Su edged Chugiak 4-3 on Tuesday.

Scooter Bynum scored the go-ahead run for the Miners in the top of the ninth. With the score tied at 3, Bynum drew a two-out walk to help set up the game-winning run.

Jordan and Jake Scudder led the Miners with two hits each. Bynum scored twice. Scudder, AJ Lee and Madison Nickens drove in runs.

Gage O’Brien earned the pitch in relief after working 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Jordan Floyd notched the save.

Mat-Su also beat the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 3-1 on Monday at Hermon Brothers Field.

Jordan was 3 for 3 for the Miners, with a run scored and RBI.

Carlos Vega pitched five innings, allowing only three hits and a run, and earned the victory on the mound.

The Miners hosted the Anchorage Bucs Thursday at Hermon Brothers. Results were unavailable prior to press time. Mat-Su returns to the road to face the Pilots Saturday at 10 p.m. in the annual solstice game.