The Peninsula Oilers defeated the host Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks 8-4 on Thursday in Alaska Baseball League play at Lee Jordan Field.
The win is another crucial step to clinching a first playoff berth since 2019 for the Oilers. Peninsula is now 11-17, while the Chinooks are 5-25 as they chase the Oilers for the fourth and final playoff berth. The Oilers also have clinched the 10-game season series against the Chinooks by improving to 6-2 against them.
The Anchorage Glacier Pilots lead the league at 20-6, while the Mat-Su Miners are in second at 21-10 and the Anchorage Bucs are third at 15-14.
The Oilers continue their road trip today at 6 p.m. against the Mat-Su Miners at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.
The Chinooks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Oilers starter Blake Reilly. Reilly would end up earning the win in his final appearance for the Oilers this season. He went five innings, allowing two runs and six hits while walking four and striking out one.
In the second, the Oilers took the lead for good by scoring four runs.
Casey Burnham, Noah Hennings and Jerry Nix had singles to load the bases, then Trey Becker cleared the bases with a triple and Jake Brown had a sacrifice fly.
The Oilers went up 6-1 in the fourth, then Chugiak-Eagle River made it 6-2 after five. The Oilers then went up 8-2 in the top of the sixth.
Jaxton Andeel pitched three innings and gave up two runs in the eight for an 8-4 game, but Jacob Shaver had a scoreless ninth for the Oilers.
Becker finished 3 for 4 with two triples, three runs and four RBIs.
