Game 34: Miners vs. Bucs, 6:00 p.m.

Tonight the Mat-Su Miners take on the Anchorage Bucs in game four of the nine-game season series. The Miners and Bucs will meet six times between now and the end of the regular season on July 31st. The Miners last faced the Bucs on Monday night at Hermon Brothers Field, with the Miners winning the game 5-3. Adam Martin's (Fr./Western Carolina) first home-run of the season gave the Miners a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning, and Stephen Branca's (Jr./Tennessee Wesleyan) RBI-single gave the Miners a late insurance run. The Miners have taken two of the three meetings between the clubs this season.

Last night, the Miners defeated the Athletes In Action Fire 10-1. Brock Simon (So./Santa Clara) made his first start of the season, throwing the first nine-inning complete game by a Miner-pitcher this season. Simon allowed just one unearned run, that came with the outcome all but decided in the ninth-inning.

The Miner offense however, again came up big. The Miners broke the game open using a six-run, seven-hit, sixth-inning. The first nine in the inning reached base, with Cam Kneeland (Jr./Mass.-Lowell), Wesley Jones (Jr./Milligan), and Adam Martin going for extra-bases. In all, the Miners had seven hits in the inning, and were able to chase Fire left-hander Taylor Aikenhead (Fr./Bakersfield College) from the ball-game.

Aikenhead, who had only allowed eight earned runs all season, matched his season total with eight allowed last night.

The Miners would add two more in the eighth inning off reliever Reveriano Perez (Tec De Monterey). Branca had an RBI-single, giving him three RBI-singles for the game.

The Miners received some help after the game, when they learned of the Pilots victory in Kenai over the Oilers. The Pilots used a two-run ninth inning to upend the Oilers.

Tonight the Miners will look to keep it going when they send left-hander Mark Anderson (So./BYU) to the mound. Anderson comes into the game with a 2.25 earned run average, and a record of 3-1. The Moreno Valley, Cal.-native faced the Bucs on June 17th in Anchorage, working five-scoreless innings while only allowing two hits. Anderson last pitched on July 9th against the Oilers, taking a hard-luck loss after going seven solid innings, and allowing just two runs.

Alaska Baseball League Standings (W-L-GB)

1. Oilers 17-9 --
2. Bucs 16-12 2
3. Miners 14-14 4
4. Pilots 15-17 5
5. Fire 10-20 9

Tonight's Game: Miners (14-14) vs. Bucs (16-12)

First-pitch: 6:00 p.m. from Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer. It is Alaska Club 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: Matt Dudas will talk with Miners outfielder Wesley Jones.

Next Up: The Miners meet the Oilers on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. in Palmer.

-Matt Dudas