Miners sweep Seals, open ABL season with win over Fire

By Frontiersman staff

PALMER — Mat-Su starting pitcher Max Peterson turned in the team’s fifth start of at least five innings in five games this season, striking out five Athletes in Action to pick up the win in Wednesday’s 7-0 win over the Fire.

The game was the Alaska Baseball League opener for both teams, which finished last season as the league’s co-champions. Through its first five games, the Miners pitching staff had posted a 1.40 earned run average.

Catcher Wes Dorrell was 2-for-4 in the game with two RBI for the Miners, which scored seven runs on just six hits.

Mat-Su scratched across four runs in the fourth inning to break open the scoreless game, getting runs on an RBI single from Dorrell, a bases-loaded walk by Kevin Walker, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Kevin Rodland and a sacrifice fly from Blake Newalu.

Miners sweep Seals

PALMER — Mat-Su got another strong pitching performance Tuesday as four Miners pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout of the San Francisco Seals at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer. The 3-0 win helped Mat-Su complete a three-game sweep of the Seals.

Through the first four games of the season — all wins — the Mat-Su pitching staff has given up just eight runs.

Mat-Su first baseman Troy Scott had two RBI in Tuesday’s 3-0 win, while leadoff hitter John Shaffer scored twice and stole a base.

Miners starter Thain Simon struck out six hitters in his six innings of work, giving up just two hits and walking one. Reliever David Rowse gave up one hit in the seventh inning, Jeremy Atkins worked a perfect eighth and Michael Rocha struck out two in the ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Miners 7, Seals 1

PALMER — Mat-Su scored five runs in the eighth inning to pull away from the San Francisco Seals with a 7-1 win Monday at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

Starter Jason Erickson pitched six innings of five-hit ball to pick up the win for the Miners, which moved to 3-0 on the season. Left fielder Ty Rasmussen’s second home run of the season was the big highlight in the eighth for the Miners, which sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning. Rasmussen finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBI. Designated hitter Jordin Hood was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while catcher Steve Domecus went 2-for-3.

Miners relief pitchers Will Musson, Steven Fischback and Charles Ruiz each pitched one inning of no-hit relief.