Anchorage Glacier Pilots pitcher Steve Uhlmansiek did something stupid Wednesday before his start against the Fairbanks Goldpanners. He lifted weights during the day and paid for it at game time with a tight arm.
But then he did something smart. Visibly uncomfortable on the Mulcahy Stadium mound, Uhlmansiek decided his only hope was to depend on something besides sheer muscle.
The result? His best game of the season, a 10-2 victory over the Goldpanners in which he struck out 10 in five innings and twice survived bases-loaded jams.
"My arm was really tight," Ulhmansiek said. "It was a little cooler tonight and I also lifted weights today, which was stupid. I knew I didn't have my best stuff so I relaxed and concentrated on more movement."
Ulhmansiek's gutsy performance, coupled with a breakout night at the plate by Pilots first baseman Haas Pratt (two hits, four RBIs), kept the game from turning into yet another ugly night at the ballpark.
The teams combined for nine errors, five by Fairbanks and four by Anchorage. Only three of Anchorage's 10 runs were earned and only one of Fairbanks' runs were earned.
Errors have plagued every team in the league this summer, more so than any season in memory. But in this game, the ball wasn't the only thing getting booted.
Home plate umpire Ron Hennings ejected three Goldpanners - field manager Ed Cheff and catcher Tyler Best after a controversial call at third base in the first inning, and pitcher Drew Jenson, who was booted with one out left in the game for offering his opinion on another of Hennings' calls.
Amid the chaos, Ulhmansiek managed to remain calm. Although he threw 94 pitches and scattered six hits, he toughed it out long enough to earn the win and move his record to 3-1.
His teammates helped enormously by scoring seven runs in the first two innings. And Pratt helped himself by delivering two big hits.
Pratt, a star slugger for the Pilots last summer and for University of Arkansas during the school year, has struggled mightily this summer. He entered the week hitting .195 with just 10 RBIs in 27 games
"I didn't know what was going on," Pratt said.
So he spent extra time in the batting cage and pressured himself to be more patient and stop lunging for pitches. "I was too anxious," he said. "Now I have more time to see the ball."
With two hits Tuesday and two more Wednesday -- each of which drove in two runs - the Pilots are hopeful Pratt is back in form.
"I think he's finally coming around," Uhlmansiek said.
A lefthander from Wichita State, Uhlmansiek gave up one run in the fourth but came back strong the next inning to strike out the side on just 15 pitches. Andy Shipman retired six straight in two innings of relief, Josh Wilson surrendered one run in one inning of relief and closer Ricky Fairchild threw a hitless ninth inning as the Pilots got a small measure of revenge against the Goldpanners, who beat the Pilots four times last week in Fairbanks.
The Goldpanners entered the night in sole possession of the Alaska Baseball League lead and left sharing it with Athletes in Action. Rain wiped out a scheduled doubleheader between AIA and the Anchorage Bucs in Fairbanks.
At first, the Goldpanners looked like a first-place team. It took them two minutes and four pitches to load the bases in the first inning, but they stranded them all, thanks to a pair of fly balls and a strikeout.
"I could've busted open right there," Uhlmansiek said.
Instead, he escaped the inning. While he played catch in foul territory in an effort to warm up his arm, the Pilots unleashed a three-hit, four-run attack in the bottom of the first to grab a 4-0 lead.
Executive sports editor Beth Bragg can be reached at bbragg@adn.com.
Oilers knock off Miners
Josh Lex, Ben Fritz and Garrett Schoenberger each collected two hits Wednesday as the Peninsula Oilers continued their Alaska Baseball League surge with a 5-2 win over the visiting Mat-Su Miners at Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
The Oilers (19-17 overall, 13-12 ABL) won for the ninth time in 11 games and climbed to within a 11/2 of first place in the league standings. Mat-Su fell to 16-17, 12-14.
Schoenberger scored two runs and stole a base for the Oilers.
Rain trims trip
Rain forced the postponement of both games of Wednesday's ABL doubleheader between the Anchorage Bucs and Athletes in Action at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks.
The Bucs and AIA were also rained out Tuesday. The teams will attempt to play a doubleheader Sunday, July 27 at Mulcahy Stadium and will make up the third game as part of the Wood Bat Invitational at the end of the season if needed to determine the ABL's top two teams.
ABL STANDINGS
Alaska Baseball League
W L Pct. GB Overall
Athletes in Action 13 9 .590 -- 17-10
Fairbanks Goldpanners 15 11 .577 -- 23-14
Peninsula Oilers 13 12 .520 11/2 19-17
Anchorage Glacier Pilots 13 15 .464 3 16-19
Mat-Su Miners 12 14 .462 3 16-17
Anchorage Bucs 10 15 .400 41/2 14-16
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Tuesday's Results Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher
Goldpanners 2, Pilots 1 Johnson (2-2) Pelfrey (1-2)
Oilers 5, Miners 4 (10) Eckstrom (2-2) Heil (2-1)
Bucs at AIA, ppd., rain -- --
Wednesday's Results Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher
Pilots 10, Goldpanners 2 Uhlmansiek (3-1) Zachgo
Oilers 5, Miners 2 Gorski (3-2) Knoblauch (3-3)
Bucs at AIA (DH), ppd., rain -- --
Today's Games Location Time
Bucs at Goldpanners Growden Park 7 p.m.
Miners at Glacier Pilots Mulcahy Stadium 7 p.m.
