Anchorage Daily News

Donald Brandt took a shutout into the seventh inning Friday and led the Anchorage Bucs past the first-place AIA Fire 5-1 at Mulcahy Stadium.

Brandt scattered seven hits over 7 2/3 innings before giving way to Owen Reid.

Reid pitched into trouble in the ninth and Adam Jorgenson came on with runners at second and third, nobody out and got two popups and a grounder to earn the save.

Gabe Jacobo provided all the offense Brandt needed. He blasted a solo home run in the fourth inning and a smacked an RBI double in the sixth. Louis Ullrich's run-scoring single made it a two-run inning for the Bucs and a 4-0 lead.

Sean Ratliff's sacrifice fly broke a scoreless tie in the third inning.

Bryan Root broke up Brandt's shutout with an RBI groundout in the seventh.

Tonight's Bucs-AIA game is Fan Appreciation Day. Admission is free to all fans.

Oilers 5, Miners 4

The Mat-Su Miners blew a golden opportunity Friday.

Not only did they cough up a late lead en route to a 5-4 loss to the host Peninsula Oilers in Kenai, they couldn't take advantage of league-leading AIA losing earlier in the day.

As a result, the Miners remained two games back of first-place AIA in the ABL.

The Oilers scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning after Steve Kalush drew a bases-loaded RBI walk.

Mat-Su had gone ahead 4-3 on Derek Helenihi's sac fly.

Panners 6, Pilots 5

Chris Valencia went 5 for 5 and the Fairbanks Goldpanners rallied from an early four-run deficit to a 6-5 win over the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Growden Park in Fairbanks.

Valencia outhit the Pilots by himself (5 to 4). The right fielder also drove in a run in the third inning to help fuel the comeback.

Second baseman Matt Vogel drove in two runs for the Goldpanners, who have won the first three games of the four-game series.

Aaron Barrows and Joshua Cox each delivered two RBIs for the Pilots.

ABL STANDINGS

ALASKA BASEBALL LEAGUE

W L Pct. GB Overall

AIA 22 8 .733 -- 24-12

Miners 21 11 .656 2 22-11

Oilers 15 16 .484 7½ 23-16

Goldpanners 13 17 .433 9 18-19

Bucs 11 19 .367 11 19-21

Glacier Pilots 10 21 .323 12½ 17-23

RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Friday's Results

Bucs 5, AIA 1

Oilers 5, Miners 4

Goldpanners 6, Pilots 5

Today's Games

Miners at Oilers, 6 p.m.

Pilots at Goldpanners, 6:30 p.m.

AIA at Bucs, 7 p.m.