Panners assume 1st place: Miners lose 1st 3 in Fairbanks; Oilers in 2nd

The Peninsula Oilers (25-12) enter their game at 7 p.m. tonight against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 1 1-2 games behind the first-place Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks (26-10) in the Alaska Baseball League. The Mat-Su Miners (23-11) are now in third place.

Thus far, the Miners have been taking their lumps on a road trip to Fairbanks. On Tuesday, the Miners lost to the Panners 9-4. Rain canceled a Wednesday doubleheader, but the Panners and Miners played a doubleheader Thursday in place of a single game that had been scheduled for Thursday. The Panners swept that doubleheader by scores of 4-3 and 6-4. The single game that had been scheduled for Thursday has been moved to July 31 at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

The Goldpanners have Friday and Saturday off before beginning a four-game homestand on Sunday against the Anchorage Bucs. The Oilers host the Anchorage Glacier Pilots Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The Miners stay in Fairbanks to play the Athletes in Action five times in the next four days.