The Peninsula Oilers survived a late comeback attempt by the host Chugiak Chinooks to pick up a 5-4 Alaska Baseball League victory in 10 innings Tuesday.
That most likely concludes the road portion of the Oilers regular-season slate. The Oilers return home to face the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks at 6 p.m. today, 6 p.m. Wednesday and in a 5 p.m. doubleheader Thursday.
The regular season concludes with a two-game home series against the Mat-Su Miners — 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. A rained-out road game against the Anchorage Bucs most likely will not be made up.
The Oilers’ victory Tuesday was crucial as Peninsula chases the Bucs in the battle for the American League title.
The Bucs swept a Tuesday doubleheader from the Panners to move to 20-14 in the ABL — 4 1-2 games ahead of the 15-18 Oilers. The Bucs have now won seven of their last eight games.
After the Chinooks had rallied from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game in the top of the eighth, the Oilers put together the winning rally in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Jimmy Galusky started the inning by reaching on an error, then Brian Ruhm bunted Galusky to second. Alex Seifert then came through with a single up the middle to score Galusky.
Chinooks pitchers Travis Stone would evade further damage in the inning, but it wouldn’t matter.
Oilers closer Paul Lujan had come on to record the final out when Sean Michel struggled in the eighth. Lujan then put up goose eggs in the ninth and 10th innings to record the win.
The Oilers also got a great start from Conner Dotson. Dotson worked the first seven innings and gave up a run on five hits while walking two and striking out five. He needed just 81 pitches to make it that far.
Dotson got into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the second, with the Chinooks loading the bases with just one out. Braxton Wilks had a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 game, but Dotson was able to limit the damage to that one run.
The Oilers came back to take the lead in the top of the fourth, when Mark Sanchez doubled with nobody out to score Seifert. It was Sanchez’s third double since joining the team a week ago.
Brent Diaz then singled to put runners on first and third, and eventually second and third when Diaz pilfered second. Bennett Oliver then hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Sanchez and put Diaz on third.
Starter Lucas Hamelink then walked James Fowlkes, and was lifted after 3 1-3 innings in favor of Shane Armstrong. JD Arrowood then grounded to second to score Diaz and give the Oilers a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Oilers pushed the lead to 4-1 with a two-out rally. Ted Boeke reached on a bunt, then Galusky doubled to score Boeke.
But the Chinooks then used an even bigger two-out rally to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Michel came on in relief of Dotson, and with two down and nobody on, Michel walked Jacob Brobst, gave up a single to Cameron Baranek and gave up a single to Andrew Mogg that scored Brobst.
Baranek would then score on a passed ball, and Caleb Potter would double to score Mogg and tie the game.
Lujan then came in for Michel and struck out Will Bass to end the rally.
Tuesday
Oilers 5, Chinooks 4
Oilers AB R H BI Chnks AB R H BI
Ruhm rf 4 0 0 0 Cmwl 3b 4 0 0 0
Sfrt 2b 3 1 1 1 Mrtn cf 4 0 1 0
Schz dh 5 1 1 1 Bbst rf 3 1 0 0
Diaz c 5 1 1 0 Brnk lf 5 1 1 0
Olvr lf 3 0 1 1 Mogg c 4 2 2 1
Flks cf 3 0 0 0 Pttr dh 3 0 2 1
Arwd 1b 4 0 0 1 Bass 2b 4 0 1 0
Bke 3b 4 1 2 0 Wks 1b 3 0 1 1
Glsy ss 4 1 1 1 Hnks ss 4 0 0 0
Totals 35 5 7 5 Totals 34 4 8 3
Peninsula 000 300 100 1 —5
Chinooks 010 000 030 0 —4
2B — Sanchez, Galusky, Potter. S — Oliver, Wilks. S — Ruhm. SB — Diaz. CS — Boeke, Brobst. E — Hanks 2. LOB — Oilers 6, Chinooks 6. DP — Oilers 2, Chinooks 1.
IP H R ER BB SO
Oilers
Dotson 7 5 1 1 2 5
Michel 2-3 3 3 3 2 0
Lujan, W 2 1-3 0 0 0 0 3
Chinooks
Hamelink 3 1-3 3 3 3 3 1
Armstrong 5 1-3 3 1 1 1 2
Stone, L 1 1-3 1 1 0 0 1
PB — Diaz. HB — by Dotson (Potter).
