Game 33: Miners vs. Fire, 6:00 p.m.

Tonight, the Mat-Su Miners conclude their season-series against the Athletes In Action Fire. The teams most recently met during a five-game series at the start of the month, with the Fire taking three of the five games. In the most recent match-up, Matt Applegate (Jr./Kansas St.) threw a complete-game shut-out, as he took just 70 pitches to complete the seven-inning contest.

Last night, the Miners dropped a heart-breaker to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. Starting-pitcher David Gibson (Jr./Bluefield) turned in one of his best performances of the season in the game, throwing six shut-out innings before leaving the game ahead 3-0.

The Miners offense got on the board in the third on an RBI-single from Ryan Ford (So./MTSU) that scored Tim Zier (Fr./San Diego St.). The Green and Gold kept things going in the fourth, when Wesley Jones (Jr./Milligan) scored with two outs on a Pilots fielding-error. The Miners continued in the sixth inning. After the first two hitters were retired to begin the inning, Michael Gerlach (So./Cabrillo) blooped a single into right-field to keep the inning alive. Kevin Lum (Jr./Oklahoma St.) then stepped up, ripping a double down the right-field line, that was able to score Gerlach all the way from first.

After Gibso exited, the Miners would again keep the lumber going as catcher Adam Martin's (Fr./Western Carolina) resurgence continued. The Marietta, Ga.-native ripped a single to center, the plated two more and the Miners appeared to be on cruise control.

That's when the Pilots offense came alive. Maxx Garrett (Jr./Gonzaga) took a Neal Dennison (So./Georgetown) offering over the left-field fence, for a two-run homer and his first long ball of the season.

In the eighth the Miners would again score a run, as Tim Zier came home on a sacrifice fly from Cam Kneeland (Jr./Mass.-Lowell). The Pilots continued to be resilient however, as Kavin Keyes (Fr./Oregon St.) made up for his two fielding errors by clearing the bases on a three-run double to center.

With the Miners leading now by just a run, they called on lefty Ben Graff (Fr./San Francisco) to try and get them out of the jam in the inning. After Keyes reached third on a sacrifice bunt, Graff was able to get an infield pop-up to Kneeland. The next batter rolled a ground ball that Zier was able to make a sliding stop on a second to end the inning, with the Miners clinging to a one-run lead.

In the ninth the Miners were able to get an insurance run for Graff, when Lum singled home Martin for his second RBI of the night.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Pilots again proved to be too tough on this night. The first three reached in the inning, with two of them climbing aboard on bunt-singles. After Graff was able to get Cael Brockmeyer (Fr./Cal St.-Bakersfield) to foul out to Kneeland, Aaron Judge (Fr./Fresno St.) ripped an RBI-single to left. The hit pulled the Pilots within a run, with still just one out in the inning. That brought Keyes up again with the bases loaded, and chance from a personal level to complete a night filled with ups and downs.

Keyes took Graff's pitch, and hit it off the chalk line in left field, to score two runs and win the game for the Pilots, 8-7.

The Miners now sit five games behind the first-place Oilers with nine game still remaining here in 2011. The Miners play seven of their final nine games at home, with four straight at home beginning tonight.

The Miners will turn to right-hander Brock Simon (So./Santa Clara). Simon enters the game with an 0-2 record, and an earned run average of four. He last pitched on Saturday night, taking an extra-inning loss, while throwing in relief against the Bucs. The El Dorado Hills, Cal.-native will be making his first start of the season with the Miners tonight.

Alaska Baseball League Standings (W-L-GB)

1. Oilers 17-8 --
2. Bucs 16-12 2.5
3. Miners 13-14 5
4. Pilots 14-17 6
5. Fire 10-19 9

Tonight's Game: Miners (13-14) vs. Fire (10-19)

First-pitch: 6:00 p.m. from Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer. Tonight is Ellen Hermann-State Farm and Summit Oral Surgery Day at the ball-park.

Media: Matt Dudas and Michael Broskowski have the call, beginning at 5:50 p.m. with the Mat-Su Miners Pre-Game Show. Fans can listen to the game locally on Q99.7 and worldwide on www.matsuminers.org.

Pre-Game Guest: Michael Broskowski will talk with Miners outfielder Michael Gerlach.

Next Up: The Miners meet the Bucs Saturday at 6:00 p.m. It will be Alaska Club Day here at the park.

-Matt Dudas