The Peninsula Oilers could not dig themselves out an early hole against the Anchorage Bucs on Friday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park. The Bucs (28-13) capitalized on seven unearned runs in a 10-8 victory over the Oilers (14-28).
Bucs 10- Oilers 8
The Oilers notched the game’s first run in the bottom of the first on a Skyler Messinger sacrifice fly against Bucs starter Liam Henry.
Anchorage responded in the third with six runs against Oilers starter Bryan Woo. Three of the six runs were unearned runs after a fielding error on Messinger extended the inning with two outs. After the next three hitters reached base, Woo was pulled after 2.2 innings pitched.
In two starts against the Bucs, Anchorage has scored 12 runs against the Oilers right-hander.
The Oilers scored their second run in the third on a Travis Bohall RBI double, scoring Victor Carlino.
The Bucs scored four unearned runs against reliever Kyle Muller in the fourth inning to take a 10-2 lead. A second Messinger fielding error and a throwing error on first baseman Connor McCord accounted for the Oilers miscues.
The Oilers mounted a late charge for the second-straight day. The Oilers outscored Anchorage 6-0 over the final five innings, similar to Thursday nights 11-0 run against the Bucs.
In the fourth, a Bohall RBI single plated Paul Steffensen cutting the Bucs lead to 10-3.
Following a scoreless fifth and sixth innings, the Oilers tacked on a run in the seventh against Bucs reliever Keaton Chase on a Bobby Goodloe RBI triple that scored Camden Vasquez.
In the eighth, the Oilers pounded Chase for four runs. Four consecutive RBIs by the top four Oilers batters cut the Bucs lead to 10-8. An RBI single by Bohall, a Goodloe sacrifice fly, a McCord RBI single and a Messinger RBI single forced Bucs head coach to bring in his closer Colton Rendon.
Rendon induced an inning-ending fielder’s choice by Jaden Fein, who represented the potential go-ahead run with runners on the corners and two outs.
Rendon retired the Oilers in order to end the game in the ninth.
Goodloe (3-3, BB, sac) and Bohall (4-5) combined to drive in five of the eight Oilers runs.
Bohall finished with two singles, a double and a triple; a home run shy of completing the cycle.
It’s the second-straight game that an Oilers batter finished one hit shy of completing the cycle.
Oilers host Bucs on Saturday
Dolifka and Associates sponsors Saturday’s tilt between the Oilers and Bucs at 6 p.m. The fourth game of the five-game series at Coral Seymour Memorial Park will also include host parent night with a special ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Final Oilers regular season game on Sunday:
Fan Appreciation Day is set for a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday sponsored by Coca-Cola.
Alaska Baseball League Standings:
Anchorage Bucs: 28-13
Anchorage Glacier Pilots: 24-16
Mat-Su Miners: 22-18
*Peninsula Oilers: 14-28 (14.5 GB)
*Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks: 13-26 (14 GB)
*Have not clinched playoff berth. Oilers and Chinooks are tied in win percentage (0.333).
