Mat-Su Falls in Final Home Game of Regular Season
August 3, 2016 - Alaska Baseball League (Alaska)
Mat-Su Miners News Release
PALMER, Alaska - With the second seed in the Alaska Baseball League playoffs on the line, the Peninsula Oilers used a late rally on Wednesday to earn a 3-2 road win over the Mat-Su Miners.
The victory gives the Oilers home-field advantage in the first round of the league playoffs agains the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Thursday.
The Miners (26-18) struck in the bottom of the third when shortstop Josh Bissonette singled up the middle with two outs to score second baseman Levi Jordan.
Rightfielder Cam Montgomery added to the Mat-Su lead in the following inning with a double off the wall to score first baseman Jake Scudder, giving the Miners a 2-0 advantage.
Peninsula starting pitcher Junior Ramirez provided the Oilers with 6.2 innings in his third Alaska Baseball League appearance. Ramirez allowed eight hits and two walks while recording six strikeouts.
On the other side of the field, Mat-Su starter Jordan Frederick held the Oilers scoreless through six innings of work.
"Frederick was awesome for us, he's thrown some big innings this summer," Taylor said. "He did a fantastic job for us and allowed us to save our bullpen going forward into the playoffs."
The right-hander surrendered two hits and tallied five strikeouts in his ninth league appearance for the Miners.
"I wanted to go out and give our team a chance to win," Frederick said. "It was a little bit short notice as far as the start, but I just wanted to do what I could. I had a great defense behind me the entire game."
The Oilers (24-20) capitalized on a pitching change in the top of the seventh when reliever Gage O'Brien entered for Frederick.
Designated hitter Seth DeWitt scored the first Peninsula run on a passed ball from O'Brien, while a single from rightfielder Daniel Szpik tied the game at 2-2. Catcher Jared Huber followed with an RBI groundout to give the Oilers the go-ahead run.
O'Brien was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs and two walks in three innings on the mound.
Peninsula pitcher Andrew Bash earned the win after throwing 2.1 perfect innings of relief.
Jordan provided the bulk of the Mat-Su offense with three hits in four at-bats, while Bissonette went 2 for 2 at the plate with an RBI.
Third baseman Alex Seifert finished with two hits for the Oilers while shortstop Trey Dawson reached base twice in the win.
The Miners open the Alaska Baseball League playoffs with a home series against the Anchorage Bucs beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Hermon Brothers Field.
"Everyone is excited for it, this is what we've all been waiting for," Frederick said. "We clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and we are all just ready to go. We have a great fan base here."
The series will continue with a 2 p.m. matchup on Friday. If the series is tied 1-1, then a third meeting will take place 40 minutes after the conclusion of Friday's game.
"We take it day by day and do our thing," Taylor said. "We compete hard and play for each other."
• Discuss this story on the Alaska Baseball League message board...
Alaska Baseball League Stories from August 3, 2016
- Mat-Su Falls in Final Home Game of Regular Season - Mat-Su Miners
- Miners Clinch Top Seed in ABL Playoffs with Shutout - Mat-Su Miners
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
