The Pilots scored all their runs in the first two innings Thursday night at Mulcahy Stadium before turning over the slimmest of leads to the bullpen to complete a 5-4 win over the visiting Mat-Su Miners. Anchorage won its second straight game after losing nine of 10 and improved to 17-19 overall and 14-15 in the Alaska Baseball League.

The Miners, losers of five straight, dipped to 16-18, 12-15.

After scoring seven runs in the first two innings of Wednesday's 10-2 thrashing of the first-place Fairbanks Goldpanners, Anchorage came out against Mat-Su blazing. The Pilots scored four runs on four hits in the first and added a single run in the second to take a 5-0 lead.

Jacoby Ellsbury snapped an 0-for-20 slide with a leadoff single in the bottom of the first. John Bowker, Jon Higashi and Haas Pratt later followed with hits to the outfield off Mat-Su starter Brian Bach. Bowker and Higashi picked up RBIs and Pratt, after doubling, scored on a Bach balk.

"It felt nice because we have been struggling hitting the ball and getting runs on the board early for the pitchers," said Bowker, a freshman from Long Beach State. "They have been pitching real well, so it was good for us to do that for them."

Ellsbury singled to kick off the second inning and Jose Ortega, batting in the second spot, walked. Then Bach's night was over. The sophomore from Wake Forest left the game after appearing to complain about pain in his shoulder.

Mat-Su called on David Johnson for relief, and the sophomore from UCLA delivered. Despite giving up an RBI fielder's choice to Bowker, he handled the Pilots for four innings. Johnson tossed four hitless innings and struck out six.

Meanwhile, the Miners' offense found its stroke.

Mat-Su scored single runs in the third and fourth innings, racking up four hits off Anchorage starter Ryan Rote.

Miners right fielder Anthony Isabella led off the top of the sixth inning with a flare to right field. Pilots outfielder Ryan Bird slowly moved toward the shallow liner, then dove forward for the ball but missed it. Isabella wound up at third on what was scored a single and a two-base error on Bird. Jase Turner followed by lacing a double down the right-field line, scoring Isabella.

After Josh Mader's sacrifice bunt, Mat-Su leadoff man Matt Young cut the Anchorage lead to 5-4 with his fourth hit in four at-bats. Young bounced a ball up the middle for a single. Pilots reliever Travis Ingle, who replaced Rote after five innings, wiggled his way out of the inning by getting two of the next three batters out.

And that's where Anchorage's mound troubles ended.

Josh Wilson, Andy Shipman and closer Ricky Fairchild each worked a scoreless inning of hitless relief. Wilson struck out one in the seventh, Shipman two in the eighth and Fairchild recorded three straight outs to collect his seventh save in the ninth.

Fairchild battled Mat-Su cleanup hitter Ryan Beglin before getting the last out on a fly ball to left field. Beglin worked the count full and fouled off three two-strike pitches during the 10-pitch at-bat.

The Pilots and Miners continue their four-game series at Mulcahy tonight at 7. Anchorage took a 2-1 advantage in the seven-game season series with Thursday's win.

Daily News reporter Matt Nevala can be reached at mnevala@adn.com.

Panners blank Bucs

The Fairbanks Goldpanners moved into sole possession of first place in the ABL with an 8-0 win over the cellar-dwelling Anchorage Bucs at Growden Park on Thursday.

Panners pitcher Sean Timmons threw a complete game shutout and struck out five. Timmons improved to 5-1 on the season.

Jeff Culpepper and James Guerrero got it done for Fairbanks at the plate. Culpepper went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run, while Guerrero was 1 for 3 and also batted in three runs.

RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Wednesday's Results Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher

Glacier Pilots 10, Panners 2 Uhlmansiek (3-1) Zachgo

Oilers 5, Miners 2 Gorski (3-2) Knoblauch (3-3)

Bucs at AIA (DH), ppd., rain -- --

Thursday's Results Winning Pitcher Losing Pitcher

Goldpanners 8, Bucs 0 Timmons (5-1) Kown (3-2)

Glacier Pilots 5, Miners 4 Rote (3-2) Bach (1-4)

Today's Games Location Time

Bucs at Goldpanners Growden Park 7 p.m.

Miners at Glacier Pilots Mulcahy Stadium 7 p.m.

AIA at Oilers Seymour Park 7 p.m.