The visiting Peninsula Oilers defeated the Anchorage Bucs 6-4 on Sunday in Alaska Baseball League action to bounce back after getting swept by the Bucs in a Saturday doubleheader.
The Oilers moved to 14-11 in the league, one game behind the idle and league-leading Mat-Su Miners. The Bucs drop to 12-12 and sit in third place, 1.5 games behind the Oilers.
A showdown for first place in the league looms at Coral Seymour Memorial Park. Wednesday at 7 p.m., the Oilers open a five-game series against the Miners at home. After that series, the Oilers only have six home games remaining in the regular season.
Sunday, the Oilers did all the damage needed in the top of the third inning, scoring five runs.
With the bases loaded and one out, Evan Berkey walked to score Ryan Novis. Brian Leonhardt then had an infield single to score Ryan Koch.
Calvin Farris took care of the rest with a double that scored Grant Wood, Berkey and Leonhardt.
The final Oilers run came in the sixth, when Koch scored on a single by Berkey.
The Oilers held off the Bucs using five pitchers.
Christian Winston got the start and went 4 1-3 innings, giving up six hits and four runs — two earned. Matt Amrhein then came in and went 2 2-3 scoreless and hitless innings, picking up the win.
Leonhardt and Farris then both combined for a scoreless and hitless inning before Bret Ricklefs shut the Bucs down in the ninth.
Berkey was 3 for 4 for the Oilers, , while Paul Kunst was 2 for 6, Novis was 2 for 5 and Leonhardt was 2 for 4. Wood, Farris and Tyler Duke also recorded hits for the Oilers.
