ABL Round-Up for July 7th and Some Ejections

After a hectic last week, the Mat-Su Miners finally were able to enjoy an off day. The Miners just completed one of their busiest stretches of the season. It included eight games in eight day, and was capped off with a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. The Miners began the stretch last week, taking two of three from the second-place Peninsula Oilers. The week continued with the Miners splitting two games in Anchorage against the Glacier Pilots. It was then finished with the Miners dropping two of three (at least for now) against AIA Fire.

The Miners played the final inning on Tuesday under protest, in what turned out to be one of the most bizarre games your going to ever find. After winning game one 4-0, the Miners held a 1-0 lead in game two into the sixth inning. That's when the Fire finally were able to get to Miners right-hander Jeff Gonzales (Fr./Washington). Gonzales, who was sharp for the first five innings, allowed the Fire to take the lead by scoring three times.

That's when Fire Designated Hitter Marc Schoch (Jr./LaSalle) chopped a ball down the third baseline to Stephen Branca (Jr./Tennessee Wesleyan). Branca made the play, firing the baseball across the diamond to Cam Kneeland (Jr./Mass.-Lowell). After the out was recorded, members of the Fire coaching staff began questioning whether it was in-fact a fair ball.

Things would then escalate rather quickly, when words were exchanged between a Fire player and base umpire, Matt Rya. Fire first-base coach Milt Flow came charging across the infield, and after voicing his opinion Rya ejected Flow. Fire Manager Bret Butler would than join the fray, trying to separate Flow and also exchange pleasantries with Rya. Rya was not very interested, and quickly sent the Fire skipper to the showers. As Butler was tossed, Assistant Coach, General Manager, and ABL Vice President, Chris Beck jogged out to try to gain an understanding of what exactly was going on. Beck appeared to signal for a time out, but was quickly thrown out by home plate umpire Dave Reeves.

That's right, all three Fire coaches were ejected from a game that they were three outs away from winning in a span of about five minutes. Obviously it is a circumstance not seen very often, and because of that the umpires were forced to confer in their dressing room about whether the Fire could continue without a coach.

After about ten minutes of waiting around, the umpires returned to rule that the Fire could appoint a player-coach to run the ball-club. That's when Miners Manager Brian Yocke came out and argued that the game should be a forfeit. The Alaska Baseball League is played under American League rules. The game is still being reviewed, but it currently stands as a Fire 3-1 victory.

The Miners continue to sit atop the Alaska Baseball League Standings, despite the loss. The Miners return to action on Friday for a 4:00 p.m. doubleheader against the Fire.

Elsewhere in the Alaska Baseball League Wednesday night, the Peninsula Oilers were kept to just one hit by the Anchorage Bucs. The Bucs were victorious, winning the game 3-0. The win moved the Bucs infront of the Oilers in the standings by a half game. In Anchorage, the Glacier Pilots defeated the Fire by a score of 4-3. The Pilots have now won four of six games, but remain in last place.

ABL Standings (W-L-GB)

1. Mat-Su Miners 11-6 --
2. Anchorage Bucs 9-6 1
3. Peninsula Oilers 7-5 1.5
4. AIA Fire 7-9 3.5
5. Anchorage Pilots 6-14 6.5