Miners Hold off Chinooks
Published on June 28, 2016 under Alaska Baseball League (Alaska)
Mat-Su Miners News Release
Mat-Su Miners vs. the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks
(Mat-Su Miners)
PALMER, Alaska - With sole possession of first place in the Alaska Baseball League standings on the line, the Mat-Su Miners offense used a three-run fifth inning to secure a 4-3 victory over the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks on Monday.
"We did a good job tonight not chasing the board," Miners head coach Ben Taylor said. "We worried about our half of the scoreboard, not about what was going on in the top half. Offensively we just plugged along."
With runners on the corners in the bottom of the second, the Miners capitalized on a throwing error from Chinooks catcher Ben Hill to plate shortstop Josh Bissonette for the first run of the game.
Chinooks first baseman Ethan Wisker leveled the score in the top of the fifth, driving a 1-0 fastball over the left field fence. The Chinooks loaded the bases later in the inning, taking advantage of wild pitch from reliever Tyler Wyatt to earn a 2-1 lead over the Miners.
The Mat-Su offense countered in the bottom half of the inning. Third baseman A.J. Lee doubled to left field to score Scooter Bynum and Andy Cosgrove to knot the game at 2-2.
"It was great for A.J., he's been scuffling a little bit and it's great for him to get that big knock," Taylor said.
First baseman Jake Scudder followed with a two-out single to score Lee and give the Miners a 4-2 advantage.
The Miners found themselves boosted by four scoreless innings from starting pitcher Stephen Kolek. The freshman right-hander surrendered three hits and struck out three batters in his Alaska Baseball League debut.
"It didn't feel like my best, but it certainly felt really great to get on the mound for the first time in a couple of weeks and face some real batters," Kolek said. "I was really just throwing fastballs for the most part of the game, which usually have a lot of run and sink to them."
Reliever Tyler Wyatt entered in the fifth inning and gave up two runs and four hits in two innings of work. Mick Vorhof followed with a perfect inning, while Mat-Su reliever Gage Burland surrendered the third run for the Chinooks on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
Miners closer Jordan Floyd earned the save after making a ninth inning appearance on the mound.
"The guy has done a good job in the Big 12 in the last three years," Taylor said. "He's got a clue about what goes on. There's a lot of trust there from us, and he trusts himself as well. He does a great job in that role."
Chinooks starter Cody White earned the loss after allowing four runs in 5.1 innings of work. The right-hander gave up six hits and walked two batters while recording three strikeouts. Reliever Robert Winslow added 2.2 scoreless innings and recorded two strikeouts.
Bynum led the Mat-Su offense with two hits and a run, while centerfielder Brooks Stotler added another two hits in four plate appearances.
The Miners travel to Anchorage on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Bucs at Mulcahy Stadium.
"We just need to plug along," Taylor said. "We play the games that we've got to play. We show up each day and do what we do, and we aren't too worried about who we have to play or where we have to go. We've been pretty tested on the road through June, so we're just worried about what we're doing."
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 Mat-Su Miners vs. the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks |
Alaska Baseball League Stories from June 28, 2016
- Miners Hold off Chinooks - Mat-Su Miners
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