Oilers thump Miners, continue ABL climb

The Peninsula Oilers jumped on the Mat-Su Miners for five runs in the first inning and never looked back Monday en route to an 8-3 victory in Alaska Baseball League play at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

The Oilers are now 11-12 in ABL play as they battle back into the thick of the race for the league title. The top two finishers in league play qualify for the National Baseball Congress World Series.

The Oilers, now winners in eight of their last 11 games, entered are now 2 1-2 games behind Athletes in Action and the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, tied first place in the standings, and a half game behind third-place Mat-Su.

The Oilers scored five runs on four hits in the first inning Monday as Garrett Schoenberger provided the firepower with a three-run triple. Joe Holland led off the inning with a double and Brent Lewis and Ben Fritz each notched singles in the frame.

The Oilers added three more runs in the second inning as Andy Dahl delivered a bases-loaded single to plate two runs, and starter Jake Postlewaite notched his second victory of the season with a six-inning performance, allowing three runs just one of them earned on four hits while walking three and striking out three.

Paul Coleman pitched three innings in relief, allowing one hit and walking one.

The Oilers will continue their series with the Miners tonight at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai. Game time is 7 p.m.

Monday

OILERS 8, MINERS 3

Miners ab r h bi Oilers ab r h bi

Young lf 4 0 1 1 Holland 2b 4 2 2 0

Lowrie 3b 3 0 0 0 Uribes ss 4 0 0 0

Inouye 1b 4 0 0 0 Lewis 3b 3 2 1 1

Hooft 2b 3 0 0 0 Lex lf 4 1 0 0

Butts cf 3 0 0 0 Fritz 4 2 4 1

Isabella rf 4 1 1 0 Dahl rf 4 0 1 3

Beglin dh 4 1 2 0 Bensko 1b 2 1 0 0

Eichel c 4 1 0 0 Schnberger dh 4 0 1 3

Mader ss 3 0 1 0 Frazee cf 3 0 0 0

Turner 1b 0 0 0 0 - - - - -

Noles rf 1 0 0 0 - - - - -

Totals 33 3 5 1 Totals 32 8 9 8

Mat-Su 020 100 000 3

Peninsula 530 000 000 8

E Bensko 2, Lewis, Isabella, Butts. DP Miners 1, Oilers 1. LOB Oilers 4, Miners 7. 2B Holland. 3B Schoenberger. CS Frazee.

IP H R ER BB SO

Miners

Johnson, L 4 7 8 4 3 4

Beck 2 1 0 0 0 0

Bach 1 1 0 0 0 1

Lowrie 1 0 0 0 1 0

Oilers

Postlewaite, W 6 4 3 1 3 3

Coleman 3 1 0 0 1 0

WP Postlewaite. PB Fritz, Eichel 2.