Game 19: Miners at Pilots, 7:10 p.m.

Tonight the Mat-Su Miners look to sweep the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in game two of a brief two-game set. Last night, the Miners picked up a gutsy 3-2 victory in ten innings. The Miners trailed into the late innings, despite a strong six-inning effort from lefty Brendan Lobban (Jr./St. John’s).  The first seven innings of the game the Miners failed to score, despite several great opportunities. A combination of timely pitching and poor base running kept the Miners off of the scoreboard.

That all changed when the Miners were finally able to chase Pilots’ starter Andy Grunewald (So./Elgin CC). Reliever Trevor Bayless (Fr./San Diego) first would face Miners’ third baseman Stephen Branca (Jr./Tennessee Wesleyan). Branca greeted him rudely, smacking a two-run double that not only put the Green and Gold on the board, but the hit also gave the Miners the lead.  After Neal Dennison (So./Georgetown) exited the game working a strong inning and a third, closer Brandon Hedrick (Jr./Union College) would come on to try and record the final five-out. The Pilots would have other plans, as Aaron Judge singled and later scored on a single from Clayton Eslick (So./Gonzaga).

After each team went scoreless in the ninth, the game shifted to extra innings. In the tenth, Ryan Ford (Jr./Middle Tennessee St.) hit a ground ball between the legs of first baseman Cael Brockmeyer (Fr./Cal St. Bakersfield), to reach base with one out. Dominick Francia’s (Fr./Louis.-Laf.) sacrifice bunt gave the Miners a runner in scoring position with two-outs. Tim Zier  (Fr./San Diego St.) followed, hitting a ball into the left center gap, that was out of the reach of a diving Keenyn Walker (So./Cen. Az.). The hit scored Ford, and the Miners had the lead. Hedrick would come back out in the tenth, and silenced the Pilots’ bats, to give the Miners the 3-2 win.

Walker was forced into action in the 8^th inning, when base umpire Brian Martin ejected Pilots’ centerfielder Kevin Hall (RS Jr./Wichita St.) for arguing a call at first base in the bottom of the seventh. Following the half-inning Pilots’ skipper Yogi Cox was also tossed for arguing the call.

The game marked Walker’s final appearance as a Pilot. Walker, the 47^th overall selection in last month’s MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, came to terms with the club on a contract. He is expected to leave today for Montana to begin playing rookie-ball.

The Miners received more good news following the game, when the Anchorage Bucs defeated the Kenai Peninsula Oilers in thirteen innings. The Miners win, coupled with an Oilers loss, extended Mat-Su’s lead in the ABL to two-games.

ABL Standings (W-L-GB)

1.    Mat-Su Miners 10-3 –

2.     Peninsula Oilers 7-4 2

3.     Anchorage Bucs 6-4 2.5

4.     AIA Fire 5-7 4.5

5.    Anchorage Pilots 2-12 8.5

Tonight, the Miners continue the nine-game in eight-day stretch. The Miners will hand the baseball to right-hander Jacob Brewer (Fr./Ball St.) for a spot start. Brewer has yet to make a start this season, but in seven relief appearances he has an earned run average of two. He last pitched Tuesday against the Oilers, going two innings, while scattering two hits, and striking out five. The South Judson, Indiana-native brings a 1-0 record into the contest.

Tonight’s Game: Miners (10-3) at Pilots (2-12)

First-pitch: The game is scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.

Media: Matt Dudas and Michael Broskowski call the action, beginning at 7:00 p.m. with the Mat-Su Miners Pre-Game Show. The game can be heard on www.matsuminers.org and www.1430hometownradio.com.

Pre-Game Guest: Michael Broskowski will catch up with manager Brian Yocke.

Tomorrow: The Miners return home Sunday as the visiting team against the AIA Fire. The game is the first of what will be a five-game series between Sunday and Friday. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.

-Matt Dudas