MINERS vs. BUCS
Joey August's hit Monday turned the Mat-Su Miners into spoilers.
His grand slam in the fourth inning proved to be the clincher in the Miners' 10-7 win over the second-place Anchorage Bucs at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.
The loss pushed the Bucs (19-12, 25-15 overall) 1 1/2 games behind the Peninsula Oilers for first place in the Alaska Baseball League.
The Bucs climbed out to a 3-0 lead after 1 1/2 innings, highlighted by Rylan Sandoval's steal of home.
The Miners (17-15, 22-16 overall) took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning with four runs, including a two-run single by Jonathon Hee.
That set the stage for August's blow in the six-run fourth inning as the Miners moved to within four games of first place. The Miners lost the season series to the Oilers and cannot win the league title.
August and Joe Ercolano had three hits as the first eight men in the Miners lineup all scored.
The Bucs' Bryan Peterson, the league's leading hitter, went 3 for 5 with three runs scored.
ABL STANDINGS
ALASKA BASEBALL LEAGUE
W L Pct. GB Overall
Oilers 21 11 .656 -- 29-14
Bucs 19 12 .612 1 1/2 25-15
Miners 17 15 .531 4 22-16
Glacier Pilots 14 16 .466 6 21-17
Goldpanners 13 17 .433 7 18-20
Fire 10 23 .312 11 12-25
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Monday's Results
Peninsula Oilers 3, Fairbanks Goldpanners 1
Athletes in Action Fire 5, Anchorage Glacier Pilots 3
Mat-Su Miners 10, Anchorage Bucs 7
Today's Games
Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Fairbanks Goldpanners, 6 p.m.
Athletes in Action at Anchorage Bucs, 7 p.m.
Wednesday's Games
Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Fairbanks Goldpanners, 6 p.m.
Anchorage Bucs at Peninsula Oilers, 6 p.m.
Athletes in Action at Mat-Su Miners, 6 p.m.
ABL LEADERS
As of Saturday
Team Batting
1) Anchorage Bucs .265; 2) Fairbanks Goldpanners .264; 3) Athletes In Action Fire .250; 4) Mat-Su Miners .240; 5) Peninsula Oilers .233; 6) Anchorage Glacier Pilots .222.
Team Pitching
1) Peninsula Oilers 2.22; 2) Mat-Su Miners 2.34; 3) Anchorage Glacier Pilots 2.41; 4) Fairbanks Goldpanners 2.74; 5) Anchorage Bucs 3.06; 6) Athletes In Action Fire 4.10.
Pitching (Minimum 9 innings per games played)
ERA (Record) -- Chris Wietlispach, Miners, 0.48 (4-1); David Gruener, Miners, 1.11 (2-2); Sean Timmons, Panners, 1.38 (5-0); Chris Kissock, Panners, 1.64 (3-2); Duke Welker, Pilots, 1.66 (1-12); Levi Laughlin, Pilots, 1.86 (2-0); Kevin Hernandez, Panners, 1.98 (4-1); Andre Lamontagne, Oilers, 2:03 (3-2); Zack Ashwood, Bucs, 2.67 (5-3); Michal Perconte, Pilots, 2.75 (2-5).
Strikeouts -- Michal Perconte, Oilers, 34; Chris Wietlispach, Miners; David Gruener, Miners, 36, Ryan Tatusko, Oilers, 36; Gruener, Miners, 31. Saves -- Taylor Bills, Oilers, 8; Casey Weathers, Pilots, 8; Matt Gorgen, Bucs, 8. Innings Pitched -- Zack Ashwood, Bucs, 54; Chris Kissock, Panners, 44; Brad Kledzik, Bucs, 43.1; Duke Welker, Pilots, 43.1.
Batting (Minimum 3 plate appearances per games played)
Average -- Bryan Petersen, Bucs, .385; Chris Nelson, Oilers, .347; ; Lucas Waters, Pilots, .342; Kevin Koski, Bucs, .336; Joe Ercolano, Miners, .333; Joe Persichina, Panners, .326; Chu Yuan-Chin, Panners, .321; Rick Simpson, AIA, .315; Mark Thompson, Panners, .303; Donald Brown, Miners, 294.
Runs -- Koski, Bucs, 29; Dom Duggan, Bucs, 28; Thompson, Panners 26. Hits -- Koski, Bucs, 48; Joe Ercolano, Miners, 44. Doubles -- Nelson, Oilers, 11; Don Brown, Miners 10; Domicnick Duggan, Bucs, 10; Jake Kahaulelio, Oilers 10. Triples -- Chase D'Arneau, Pilots, 3; Bryan Peterson, Bucs, 3. Home Runs -- Beau Mills, Panners, 7; Xavier Scruggs, AIA, 3; Robert Taylor, Bucs 3. RBIs -- Mills, Panners, 30; Xavier Scruggs, Fire, 30; Robert Taylor, Bucs, 23. Stolen Bases -- Lucas Waters, Pilots, 27; Kevin Koski, Bucs, 23.
