Pilots edge Miners

PALMER — Zach Presno and Cole Cook killed the rally in the Valley

Presno made a gave-saving play in right field and Cook notched the final four outs to record his first save of the summer, and the duo led the Anchorage Glacier Pilots to a 5-4 Alaska Baseball League win over the Mat-Su Miners Monday night at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

Miners head coach Ben Taylor was quick to shoulder responsibility following the loss.

“I put us in some tough spots tonight,” Taylor said. “I look back on some things I probably should have done a little different tonight. That’s on me.”

And he praised his players.

“I thought the guys did a good job of battling,” the skipper said. “They played hard tonight.”

But Presno and Cook stole the show. The Miners had the bases loaded in both the eighth and the ninth, but Cook was able to work the Pilots out of both jams. Presno picked up the assist in the eighth, robbing Mat-Su’s Brayden Merritt of what could have potentially led to the go-ahead score.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Merritt lifted a ball into short right field. Presno was able to make the diving catch to end the inning.

Trailing 5-4 in the eighth, Austin Pinorini drew a one-out walk for the Miners. Josh Hatcher followed with a single, and Nick Brooks was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

In the ninth, Aaron Walters and Caleb Van Blake singled, and Pinorini drew a walk to load the bases. Cook was able to force the final out.

Mat-Su infielder Spencer Henson hit a pair of home runs in the loss. Henson drove a ball over the left center field fence to tie the score at 2 early. He added a solo shot that gave Mat-Su the 4-2 lead. Walters and Brooks also scored runs in the loss.

Starter Josh Haley earned the no decision despite retiring 12 straight Pilots during a stretch. Haley allowed seven hits and three earned runs over seven innings.

Mat-Su (19-12) remains at the top of the ABL despite its second straight loss.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.