Oilers comeback falls short against Bucs in roadtrip finale.
For the second time in three games against the Anchorage Bucs, the Peninsula Oilers couldn’t capture victory after taking a multi-run lead. In the finale of a 10-game roadtrip, the Oilers fell 7-6 to the Bucs (5-5), ceding third place to Anchorage in the Alaska Baseball League standings. The Oilers (4-6) with the loss fall to fourth in the league as they enter a three-day hiatus. Following two scoreless innings, the Oilers opened the scoring in the top of the third against Bucs starter Blake Lobell. With Khadim Diaw at third and Owen McElfatrick at the plate, Lobell uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Diaw, who tripled to lead off the inning to score the game’s first run.
The Oilers plated their second run against the Bucs right-hander in the fourth inning on a pair of back-to-back doubles. A one out Nick Costello double, followed by an RBI two-base hit by Ben Griffin gave the Oilers a 4-0 lead.
The Bucs answered in the bottom of the inning against Oilers reliever Ryan Brown. With one on and two out, A costly two out error by shortstop Michael Elko allowed Jacob Rebrook to reach base to extend a Bucs rally. A Brown walk to Trenton Burkhalter loaded the bases for Curtis Hebert who unloaded the bags on a three-run triple to right field to give the Bucs a 3-2 lead.
Anchorage didn’t look back.
Lobell turned in a six inning performance on the mound. The Long Beach State product allowed three hits and struck out six in a winning effort.
The Bucs added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Connor Kershaw. With two on and one out, Cade Lacy drilled a three-run home run to left field to extend the Bucs lead to 7-2.
The Oilers responded in the top of the seventh against Bucs reliever JD Goodcase. with two on and nobody out, a fielding error on a routine groundball by Bucs shortstop Alex Pendergrast loaded the bases. Josiah Chavez drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, and Michael Elko, the team leader in RBI singled in a pair to bring the Bucs lead to 7-5 through seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, the Oilers threatened again. With two on and two out An RBI single by Chavez against Bucs reliever Cade Weigert drove in Brett Grupe to shave the Bucs lead in half. Following a walk to Diaw to load the bases with Elko at the plate, Weigert induced an inning-ending groundout to second base to strand the bases loaded.
The Oilers stranded six men on base in the loss, five came in the final three innings.
Weigert shut the door in the ninth with a three-up, three-down frame to seal the Bucs win 7-6.
With the victory, the Bucs have a commanding 3-0 regular season series lead on the Oilers in a best of 10-game series. Regular season head-to-head games are the tiebreaker for ABL standings and the determining factor for deciding postseason positioning in the event two teams finish the season with identical records.
The Oilers open their first homestand of the season at Coral Seymour Memorial Park against the Bucs on Tuesday, June 20. The first game of a five-game series begins at 6 pm. The series runs through Saturday, June 24th.
Listen to the Oilers on ESPN 1140 AM, 96.9 FM and www.radiokenai.com.
