The Peninsula Oilers opened their 2019 Alaska Baseball League season with an 11-1 loss to the Anchorage Bucs Thursday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.
Powered by a deep lineup that outhit the Oilers 16-6, the Bucs were able to break open a scoreless game early with four runs in the bottom of the second, including a two-run homer by Blake Paugh. Paugh went deep twice and finishe 3 for 5 with three RBIs.
The Oilers got hits from Victor Carlino, Damon Keith, Skyler Messinger, Drew Thorpe, Camden Vasquez and Kenai Central grad Paul Steffensen, who collected his first career ABL hit in his league debut with a leadoff single in the top of the ninth inning. Steffensen ended up 1 for 4.
Jonathan Carlos started but only lasted two innings for the Oilers on the mound. Carlos gave up five runs on five hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. Eric Reardon, Jacob Reed and Keith finished it out in relief, with Reed being the only reliever to not allow a run in his three frames of work.
Mason Wells whiffed six in five innings of pitching for the Bucs, giving up a run on four hits against the Oilers.
After a scoreless opening to the game, Anchorage got on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-out single by Chad Castillo that scored two runs for a Bucs lead. That was followed by a two-run blast by Paugh for a 4-0 lead.
The Bucs led 8-0 before Peninsula broke its shutout in the top of the fifth inning, getting an RBI single by Carlino to go through the gap.
The Oilers and Bucs play again Friday at 7 p.m. at Mulcahy. The Oilers will stay at Mulcahy for two games against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., then will get one game in Chugiak against the Chugiak/Eagle River Chinooks on Monday. The Oilers get their home opener June 12 against the Chinooks.
