Game 29: Miners at Pilots, 7:00 p.m.

The Mat-Su Miners will look to put the memories of a four-game sweep in Kenai behind them, when the take the field Friday evening in Anchorage. The Miners play the Pilots for the twelfth time this season tonight, and in many ways it will be the Miners most important game of the season thus far. The Miners have now slipped 3.5 games behind the Oilers in the ABL and sit in 3rd place behind the Bucs. It is also the Miners first of two games in the Major League Baseball Showcase. The Showcase marks the annual opportunity for players in the ABL to put their skills on display infront of scouts from all thirty big league organizations.

Tuesday in Kenai, the Miners gave Brandon Hedrick (Jr./Union College) his first start of the summer. Hedrick had succeeded as the Miners closer this summer, but with few arms available and the Miners in a must-win situation, they put the baseball in his hands.

Unfortunately, Hedrick battled control issues from the outset of the ball-game. Hedrick in the first inning walked the bases loaded, before surrendering a two-run single to Troy Channing (Jr./St. Mary's). With that the Oilers were on the board, but Hedrick continued to battle control issues. The Oilers were able to get Hedrick out of the game early, and scored seven runs in less than three complete innings off of the Miners starter.

The third inning was where the wheels completely fell off for the Miners and Hedrick. He was able to retire the first two in order, and worked an 0-2 count Jeff Yamaguchi (Fr./Long Beach St.) but hit Yamaguchi to allow the inning to continue.The next three would reach base, and Hedrick's night was done.

Jacob Brewer (Fr./Ball St.) didn't fair much better. Brewer walked the first two he faced, to allow two more runs to score. Brewer was only able to get one batter out, while walking four in the process.

Things got interesting in the third inning, as Brewer was pitching to Patrick Wisdom (So./St. Mary's). Brewer threw a pitch that appeared to be down the middle of the plate. Home-plate umpire Dave Reeves called the pitch a ball. That led catcher Mason Guymon (Jr./Carson-Newman) to question where the pitch was. As that unfolded, manager Brian Yocke came out to join the discussion. Yocke was promplty ejected for the second time this season, both of which have come at the hands of an umpiring crew that included Reeves, and shortly thereafter Guymon was also tossed.

Adam Martin (Fr./Western Carolina) would take over the catching duties, with Chris Gordon leading the Miners as acting manager.

Things didn't improve for the Miners, as they would see the margin of defeat grow to nine, as Wisdom homered for the second time in as many days.

The Oilers completed the sweep of the Miners trip to Kenai, winning the game 11-2. The Oilers have continued playing hot-baseball, and defeated the Bucs last night in Anchorage 12-2.

The Miners will look to avenge that trip to the Peninsula, and begin their climb back up the ABL Standings Friday night. The Miners are expected to send Matt Applegate (Jr./Kansas St.) to the mound. The right-hander has been excellent for the Miners since joining the team in mid-June. Applegate has a 3-0 record and has yet to allow a run during the 11 2/3 innings he has pitched. In his last outing, Applegate hurled a seven- inning complete-game shut-out against the AIA Fire. Applegate used just 70 pitches in the game to notch the victory.

ABL Standing (W-L-GB)

1. Peninsula Oilers 14-6 --
2. Anchorage Bucs 11-10 3.5
3. Mat-Su Miners 12-11 3.5
4. AIA Fire 10-14 6
5. Anchorage Pilots 9-15 7

Tonight's Game: Mat-Su Miners (12-11) at Anchorage Glacier Pilots (9-15).
First-pitch: 7:00 p.m. from Mulcahy Field in Anchorage. It is the third game of a triple-header from Mulcahy today. In game two the Pilots face the Fire at 4:00 p.m.
Media: Matt Dudas and Michael Broskowski have the call, beginning at 6:50 p.m. with the Mat-Su Miners Pre-Game Show. Fans can listen to the broadcast worldwide on http://www.matsuminers.org/.
Pre-Game Guest: TBD
Next Up: The Miners face the Bucs, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Anchorage.