Pitching dominated in the fastest game of the season for the Peninsula Oilers in a 2-1 win against the Mat-Su Miners in a two hour and ten minute contest at Coral Seymour Memorial Park on Friday.
The win was the fourth consecutive one-run game and the fifth in the last six games for the Oilers. The Oilers (10-17) have won two of three, one-run games in the current homestand against the Miners (16-10).
Oilers 2- Miners 1
Brandon Birdsell and Jake Fenn dominated on the mound with both right-handers combining to allow one earned run while striking out 13 batters.
The Miners scored the opening run against Fenn in the second on a two-out RBI double by Tanner Carlson, who plated Ricky Martinez after he reached on a walk in the prior plate appearance.
With the lead, Birdsell soared.
The Miners starter racked up a season-high nine strikeouts in his second start against the Oilers with a flurry of breaking balls and a low to mid 90s fastball.
In the sixth, the Oilers broke through for a pair of runs after three straight hits began the inning. Paul Steffensen led off with a single and scored after a Victor Carlino single paired with a couple Miners’ throwing errors which allowed Steffensen to score from first base to tie the game 1-1.
Bobby Goodloe drove in Carlino, who had advanced to second base on the flurry of Miners errors to give the Oilers the lead 2-1.
The Oilers with the lead, combined to pitch a one-hitter through the final three innings.
Relievers Giancarlo Servin and Calvin Farris combined for three strikeouts.
In the top of the ninth inning with Farris on the mound and Sam Thompson at second representing the tying run with two outs, Farris struck out pinch-hitter Aaron Walters to lock down the Oilers second win against the Miners in the first three games of the series in Kenai.
The Oilers and Miners have now played in four one-run games in their last five meetings.
(photo courtesy of oilersbaseball.com)
Oilers play double-header against Miners on Saturday:
The Oilers and Miners duel on Saturday in game one of a weekend doubleheader sponsored by Main Street Tap and Grill on a free admission day at Coral Seymour Memorial Park.
Oilers vs Miners series schedule:
Saturday, July 6th Doubleheader 5 p.m. Game One
Sunday, July 7th 2 p.m
Follow the Oilers on ESPN 1140 AM and www.radiokenai.com
