The Peninsula Oilers, having won four of the first five games in the six-game series, guaranteed a home series winning record in the first home series of the Oilers Alaska Baseball League season; defeating the Anchorage Bucs twice in Sunday’s double header at Coral Seymour Memorial Park. The Oilers improve to 4-1 on the ABL season and sit in first place in the ABL.
Game 1: Oilers 2- Bucs 1
Oilers fans were treated to a rare event before the first pitch of game one; when, following the national anthem, Oilers leftfielder Jake Darrow proposed to his girlfriend (the anthem singer) on the field. (Photo courtesy of Oilers Baseball)
The game’s scoring began in the top of the fourth inning when the Bucs scored on a Daniel Frederickson RBI single, plated Logan Ehnes giving the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
The Oilers answered in the bottom half of the frame when Grant Wood recorded the only hit of the game for the Oilers on an RBI single scoring Evan Berkey, tying the game at 1.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Darrow reached base to lead off the inning on an error by Bucs shortstop Willy Escala. With Paul Kunst at the plate, Darrow stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error on catcher Jose Ruiz. Darrow would score after an errant throw by center fielder Brennan Breaux, giving the Oilers a 2-1 lead.
The Bucs rallied in the top of the seventh inning, with the go-ahead run on base with one out, the Oilers called on relief pitcher Justin Jaime to record a two out save. Bucs Breaux and JC Correa to fly out to Darrow to end the game.
Final score: Oilers 2, Bucs 1
Game 2: Oilers 5 – Bucs 2
In game two on Sunday, the Oilers got eight hits, and benefited from five Bucs errors, resulting in four unearned runs.
The Oilers opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Tyler Duke scored on a multi-base throwing error by Bucs third baseman Demetri Colacchio.
The Oilers tacked on three more runs in their half of the third inning. After back-to-back singles, Ryan Koch plated Duke. The scoring continued with two outs when Brian Leonhardt reached on a fielding error by Bucs second baseman JC Correa, scoring both Wood and Koch which gave the Oilers a 4-1 lead.
The Oilers added a fifth run in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Novis scored on a dropped third strike to Paul Kunst; advancing Kunst and plating Novis from third.
Final Score: Oilers 5, Bucs 2
The Oilers lead the Alaska Baseball League standings at 4-1.
Final game of six-game home stand scheduled for Monday
The Oilers and Bucs conclude their six-game series Monday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park at 7 p.m. The Sweeney’s Pregame Show begins at 6:40 p.m.
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