The Peninsula Oilers defeated the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 5-3 on Wednesday in Alaska Baseball League action at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage.
The Oilers snapped a three-game losing streak in moving to 3-5 in the league and 2-1 against the Pilots this season. The Pilots fall to 5-3.
The Oilers now have two games left in a season-opening 10-game road trip that’s taking place over 10 days. Peninsula plays at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Mat-Su Miners at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer, then plays the Anchorage Bucs at 6 p.m. Friday at Mulcahy.
The home opener for the Oilers is Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Coral Seymour Memorial Park against the Anchorage Bucs.
Peninsula took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning only to fall behind 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning.
The Oilers clawed back to take the lead with runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Peninsula held that lead thanks to two big defensive plays.
In the eighth, Elijah Rodridguez led off the inning for the Pilots with a walk, then advanced to second with one away. Oilers reliever Aidan Gonzalez was able to nip the rally in the bud by picking Rodriguez off second.
In the ninth, Will Carpenter led off the a walk. Andrew Lamb hit a rocket to center field, but Oilers center fielder was able to track the ball down with an over-the-shoulder catch. Connor Throneberry cruised to his second save of the season after that with a hitless ninth.
The late-game defense meant the Oilers didn’t waste a great start by Ty Correa. Correa went a scoreless and hitless five innings while walking two and striking out five.
Drew Dickson ran into trouble in his inning of relief, giving up three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out one.
Gonzalez steadied the ship with two innings of scoreless and hitless relief, walking one and striking out two.
Owen McElfatrick jump-started the Oilers offense from the leadoff slot all day, finishing 3 for 3 with three runs.
Michael Rodda was 2 for 5 with a run and two RBIs.
