Miners Drop Offensive Battle to Bucs
June 26, 2016 - Alaska Baseball League (Alaska)
Mat-Su Miners News Release
Mat-Su Miners in Action
(Mat-Su Miners)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Anchorage Bucs used an explosive fourth inning to hand the Mat-Su Miners a 7-6 road loss at Mulcachy Stadium in an offensive Alaska Baseball League showdown.
"The bats are coming around and we are doing a pretty good job for the most part," Miners head coach Ben Taylor said. "We are putting ourselves in good positions."
The Miners (7-6) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when designated hitter Michael Donadio lifted a sacrifice fly to left field with the bases loaded. Shortstop Josh Bissonette followed with an infield single to score second baseman Levi Jordan, and leftfielder Garrison Schwartz added an RBI groundout to give Mat-Su a 3-0 lead.
"Schwartz got good pitches to hit all day, he executed and took good at-bats," Taylor said.
The Bucs (8-7) responded in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on two walks with the bases loaded to cut the early deficit to one run.
The Miners added to the lead in the fourth inning, when Jordan drove a two-strike fastball into left field to score centerfielder Brooks Stotler from second base.
The Bucs answered on an RBI double off the left field wall from designated hitter Logan Stoelke. A throwing error from Miners catcher Andy Cosgrove allowed Bucs shortstop Alan Trejo to score Stoelke and advance to second base.
After reaching third on a wild pitch, Trejo scored on an infield single from rightfielder Steven Sensley to give the Bucs a 5-4 advantage. Bryant Harris singled later in the inning to score Sensley and extend the lead to two runs.
Schwartz stepped to the plate for the Miners in the fifth inning, launching a 2-1 fastball over the right field fence to cut the deficit to 6-5.
"I was seeing the ball well all game," Schwartz said. "About halfway through the at-bat I was feeling good rhythm at the plate and I knew I was going to be on time for that pitch."
A sacrifice fly from Bucs leftfielder Cole Maltese in the seventh inning would give Anchorage a two-run advantage.
Pinch hitter Josh Rolette rallied the Mat-Su offense in the eighth, driving a pitch down the left field line for an RBI double to score Schwartz.
Following a sacrifice bunt from Cosgrove, pinch runner Scooter Bynum attempted to score on a ground ball from third baseman A.J. Lee, but the throw to the plate would beat him for the out.
Starting pitcher Jacob Hughey put in three innings of work on the mound and surrendered two runs for the Miners. The freshman left-hander allowed two hits and walked five batters while recording three strikeouts.
Mick Vorhof and Carlos Vega combined for three innings of hitless relief, holding the Bucs to one run. Reliever Gage O'Brien was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs in the fourth inning.
Bucs starting pitcher Brody Robinson also went three innings on the mound and gave up three runs and five walks in the team's win.
The Anchorage bullpen combined to hold the Miners offense to three runs on six hits, utilizing four relief pitchers in the matchup.
"Bullpen depth is the name of the game when you've got these long stretches of play," Taylor said.
The Miners finished with six runs on nine hits, including a solo home run and a double from Schwartz. Stotler added two hits and walked twice to reach base four times in the game.
"Our offense is just clicking during this time of the season," Schwartz said. "We had some good matchups against their pitchers."
The Miners return to Hermon Brothers Field on Monday for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks in Palmer.
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Alaska Baseball League Stories from June 26, 2016
- Miners Drop Offensive Battle to Bucs - Mat-Su Miners
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