The Mat-Su Miners held off the Peninsula Oilers 3-2 in Alaska Baseball League play Thursday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
The Miners improved to 15-6 in the league, while the Oilers fall to 5-12. The game was the first of a five-game series that continues tonight at 6 p.m.
The Miners scored a run in the second and another in the third inning to take a 2-0 advantage in the game.
In the second inning, Alex Vergara singled and scored on a single by Steven Lancia. In the third inning, Brandon Heidal started the frame with a walk, went to second on a single by Carter Young and scored when Josh Paino reached on an error.
The Oilers would tie the game up with runs in the third and fifth innings.
In the third, Shunsuke Sakaino doubled, then scored on a single by Noah Hennings.
In the fifth, Cole Jordan started the inning with a single and would eventually score on a wild pitch.
The Miners got the winning run in the sixth inning.
Paino was hit by Oilers starter Knolton Clark, then Clark walked Vergara. Blake Reilly came in for Clark and was greeted by an RBI single from Nick Cirelli.
Clark went five innings and took the loss by giving up three runs — two earned — on four hits while walking two and striking out two. Reilly worked the last four innings, giving up no runs on a hit while striking out five.
Rhett McCaffety won for the Miners, going six innings and giving up two runs on six hits while walking three and striking out four.
RJ Elmore threw an inning of scoreless relief, while Kole Tauzin pitched two scoreless innings for the save.
The Oilers tried to rally for the tie in the ninth inning. Dalton Bowling started the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Casey Burnham. Pinch hitter Graiden West then moved Bowling to third with a ground-out. Jordan then flied out to left field to end the game.
