The Peninsula Oilers caught up with their schedule on Thursday, playing two 7-inning games against the Anchorage Bucs. The Oilers lost both exciting games by one run, 2-1 and 6-5. The final game was an historical baseball game played under the newly formed rules of the Alaska League. It marked the first time in baseball history that a game was decided in “sudden death”.
Modifying the rules of the Major Leagues, extra-inning games in the ABL follow this formula:
- The first extra inning will be played in the normal fashion.
- The second extra inning will be a “sudden death” affair, with the home team electing to play either defense or offense.
- If “defense”, the visitors will place a player on 1st base, and must score the player, or the home team will win.
- If the visitors do score, the game is over, with no opportunity for the home team to take an at-bat.
- If the home team chooses “offense”, the same rules will apply.
The 2-1 loss was a pitcher’s duel, with the Oiler’s starter Ty Correa giving up only one earned run.
In the 6-5 “overtime” loss, the Oilers battled back from a 5-1 deficit. The Bucs Lex Boedicker fired a spectacular 3-run homer to deep right-center field in the 5-run third inning. The Oilers clawed their way back into the game and could have won it in the bottom of the 7th with the bases loaded, but did not generate the needed run.
In overtime, the Bucs bunted attempted to bunt their runner to 2 nd base, but it was sent to the pitcher who made a force-out at 2 nd base, but the play was spoiled by a wild throw to 1 st in an attempt to get a double-play. The runner then went to 2 nd , and the Oilers intentionally walked the bases full. After a strike out, with two outs losing pitcher Ryan Brown could not find the strike zone and walked in the winning run.
The Oilers are now 5-8 on the season in the tightly packed 5-team ABL. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 6 pm. Listen the Oilers on ESPN 1140 AM, 96.9 FM and radiokenai.com.
