The three-time reigning Alaska Baseball League champions flexed their muscles on Saturday in a doubleheader sweep of the Peninsula Oilers at Coral Seymour Memorial Park.
A 4-2 win in game one and a 4-0 win in game two marked the first time this season the Oilers (10-19) have been swept this season. The shutout was the Miners’ (18-10) league-leading second shutout win.
Game One: Miners 4- Oilers 2
The Miners led-off the doubleheader with a run in the top of the first inning against Oilers starter Jake Adams after a throwing error on Oilers left fielder Camden Vasquez that allowed Erik Webb to score from second.
The Miners added their second run in the third after a Walter sacrifice fly plated Coby Boulware.
Miners starter George Arias ,after three scoreless innings, allowed the Oilers first run on a Camden Vasquez sacrifice fly, scoring Skyler Messinger to cut the Miners lead 2-1.
Vasquez went 2-4 in game one, his first start in the last five games; Vasquez continues to recover from a lower body injury.
The Miners tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth against Oilers reliever Jake Reed on a pair of home runs. Justin Kirby launched his league-leading fifth home run of the summer and Webb belted his second of the summer. Reed has allowed an Alaska Baseball League leading three home runs, all at Coral Seymour Memorial Park.
The Oilers tallied their second run in the bottom of the inning on a Travis Bohall RBI single that scored Paul Steffensen to cut the Miners lead to 4-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Oilers put two on base against Miners closer Jacob McNairy but Bohall struck out to end the game, 4-2 Miners.
Game 2: Miners 4- Oilers 0
Similar to game one, the Miners scored first. The Mat-Su lineup pounced on Oilers starter Jonathan Carlos for three runs in the top of the first inning, forcing the Oilers right-hander to throw 26 pitches in the opening frame.
The Miners scored their fourth run in the fourth inning on a Walters RBI groundout against Oilers reliver Travis Roberts, who made his ABL debut on Saturday.
The Oilers bats were no-hit by Miners starter Blake Peyton who allowed two walks and recorded three hit batters.
The only two hits for the Oilers were by Travis Bohall, who went 2-3 at the plate. Two hits in a game was the lowest this season for the Oilers.
Final game of homestand on Sunday
The Oilers close-out their six-game series against the Miners and their 11-game homestand on Sunday at Coral Seymour Memorial park with a 2 p.m. start.
The Oilers resume play on Tuesday with the beginning of a three-game series against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at 7 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium.
Follow the Oilers on ESPN 1140 AM and www.radiokenai.com
