Walks and timely hitting proved to be the deciding factor for the Anchorage Bucs in their 4-3 walk-off win in ten innings against the Peninsula Oilers on Monday at Mulcahy Stadium.
A late surge for the Bucs (23-9) against the Oilers (12-22) resulted in the Oilers third, extra-inning loss of the season.
Bucs 4- Oilers 3 (10 innings)
The Oilers opened the scoring against Bucs starter Mason Wells on a Skyler Messinger RBI groundout in the top of the first inning that scored Bobby Goodloe, who led off the game with a single.
Anchorage tied the game in the second on a Victor Cerny two-out RBI single against Oilers starter Jake Adams.
Adams tossed a season-high six innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out five batters in his first start over five innings this season.
The Bucs scored their second run against Adams in the bottom of the fourth inning when Cole Tate scored from third base on a wild pitch with Taishi Nakawake at the plate, giving Anchorage a 2-1 lead.
The Oilers responded with two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. A Giancarlo Servin RBI double that scored Messinger (single) tied the game at 2-2, then with Jonathan Villa at the plate Servin scored on a wild pitch. The hit for Servin broke up an 0-18 stretch at the plate. His last two hits have driven in runs.
The Bucs tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a Cole Tate two-out RBI single against Oilers reliever Jake Fenn, who made his first relief appearance of the season.
After Oilers reliever Heath Olive retired the Bucs in order in the ninth and a scoreless top of the 10th for the Oilers lineup, the Bucs scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs, the Bucs’ Ryan Sullivan drew a full-count walk against reliever Travis Roberts. With Tate at the plate and a full count, Sullivan scored from first base on a bloop single to right-center field underneath Oilers centerfielder Paul Steffensen’s glove to walk-off against the Oilers, 4-3.
(Photo Courtesy of www.oilersbaseball.com)
Game two against Bucs on Tuesday
The second game of a three-game series against the Bucs begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Mulcahy Stadium.
The series with the Bucs concludes on Wednesday with another 7 p.m. first pitch.
Remaining Oilers roadtrip schedule
Tuesday: Bucs: 7 p.m; Mulcahy Stadium
Wednesday: Bucs: 7 p.m; Mulcahy Stadium
Thursday:Pilots: 7:10 p.m; Mulcahy Stadium
Friday:Miners: 7 p.m; Hermon Brothers Field
Saturday:Chinooks: 7 p.m; Lee Jordan Field
Follow the Oilers on ESPN 1140 AM and www.radiokenai.com