POWER ALLEY

ANCHORAGE — Adam Martin still hits with zero official home runs in the Alaska Baseball League this summer. But don’t tell the Mat-Su Miners his bat doesn’t have any pop.

Martin knocked a dozen balls out of the park to win the ABL’s 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby Saturday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

“I feel pretty good right now,” Martin said minutes after accepting the trophy for winning the first home run derby in league history. “I have (competed in home run derbies before) but have come up short a couple times. Other times I haven’t even hit a home run.”

This time around, Martin scattered balls over the left centerfield wall during the three-round derby and bested Patrick Wisdom of the Peninsula Oilers in the finals.

And this is an athlete who plays for a team that has had about zero luck with the long ball this summer. The Miners have a nice number of extra-base hits this year, peppering balls into the spacious outfield of their home park, Hermon Brothers Field. A couple of Mat-Su players are among league leaders in doubles. Infielder Stephen Branca and outfielder Nick Rosso share the league lead in triples. But for whatever reason, the Miners typically stay inside the park.

As a unit, the Miners have combined for one home run this year. Michael Suiter knocked a ball out of Mulcahy against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots earlier this year.

But on Sunday, the Miners finally had the chance to celebrate as a few balls left the yard. Branca, also one of 14 participants in the derby, went deep once in the first round. Martin finished the first round in a four-way tie with two home runs.

“I thought I had a pretty good chance. I hit some pretty good balls in (batting practice),” said Martin, who finished with five home runs during his freshman year at Western Carolina.

Martin showed his pop, especially in round two.

Players were given 10 outs in each round. A swing that didn’t send a ball over the fence in fair territory was considered an out. Hitters could also take as many pitches as they liked.

“Look for something up to get out. You’ve got to be real selective on your pitching,” Martin said. “Take normal swings, you’ll be fine.”

Martin, the third hitter in the second round, put his first pitch off the wall. His second and third attempts sent balls into deep left and center field. Martin got one to leave the stadium with his fourth swing and sent another one flying out on his very next pitch.

Martin would hit two more over the left field fence before the round was over.

Martin’s approach at the plate stayed consistent throughout the three rounds. But the man serving the pitches changed.

Assistant coach Josh Rennick took the bucket of balls for the first round, but the Miners went to the ‘pen for round two, bringing in catcher Mason Guymon to toss.

Apparently it takes one catcher to know another.

Guymon served Martin 10 home run pitches during the final two rounds.

“Mason came in there and picked us up. It’s a total team effort,” Martin said.

Wisdom hit five homers — including two with nine outs — during the second round to take a 7-6 lead over Martin in the finals.

But in the battle between Martin (a Marietta, Ga., native) and Wisdom (a St. Mary’s College player from Murietta, Calif.), East Coast won.

In the finals, Martin — leading off — knocked one out with his second swing, taking it beyond the left center field fence. He blasted another to basically the same spot with his fourth swing and parked another with his seventh attempt.

With at least seven outs, Martin sent three more flying out. His fourth home run was down the left field line and his fifth looked like it would fall before the warning track.

But that ball kept sailing.

With nine outs, Martin blasted his sixth and final home run to left field.

Wisdom managed just two homers during the final — sending consecutive pitches over the wall with three outs. Wisdom’s final seven swings resulted in outs.

Weather wasn’t exactly helping matters Sunday. Rain was steady and the winds blew in from right field.

“It was tough for lefties to get it out of here today,” Martin said.

Five of the 14 hitters finished the first round with at least two. Davis Morgan of the Anchorage Bucs had a round-high three.

Another five managed just one during the first round. Four others finished without a homer.

Martin, though, steadily made progress. And even though he still sits with zero home runs in the ABL’s official numbers. At least unofficially, Martin is the league’s first home run king.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.