Miners’ Michael Malki Strikes Out 13 to Put Miners One Win Away from Top of the World Title

The Mat-Su Miners defeated the Anchorage Bucs 9-2 Monday night to get within one game of winning the team's first title since 2018.

These two teams were picked out from the start as the top two teams in the ABL, and it ended that way. However, it was the Bucs who seemed like the favorite early on until the Miners didn't lose for three weeks. The Miners looked like the favorite in game one and dominated Anchorage in all phases of the game. 

It was a battle of first-team All-ABL pitchers in Miners' Michael Mlaki and Bucs Kade Finazzo. 

However, Malki quickly put the spotlight on himself, pitching his game yet again for Mat-Su. Over six innings of work, Malki gave up just two hits and struck out 13 batters for an Alaska Baseball League season high. He was nearly perfect, but Malki missed one pitch to Sean Togher, who made him pay in the top of the second with a deep shot to right field. 

The Miners offense delivered again, as they have all season. Sometimes is the Miners' small ball that gets them wins. This time it was the long ball. In the bottom of the third, James McGee gave the Miners their first lead when he pulverized a baseball deep into the woods behind left field at Hermon Brothers Field. Four innings later, Eliot Medlock sent a towering fly-ball straight down the left field line that stayed fair and to the Miners comfortably in front 7-1. Greg Pierantoni collected the last two runs for the Miners with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth.

The Bucs' only other run of the day came on a ground ball double-play with the bases loaded that drove home a run, as the Miners traded it for two outs. 

It's been 2,550 days since the Miners last brought the "Top of the World" trophy back to Palmer, and they find themselves one win away from ending the drought. However, everyone, including coach Ty, had one message. 

"The job's not finished. We go out and play our best ball tomorrow like we did today, then we can celebrate, but we've got more work to do tomorrow," said Lebrun. 

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Hermon Brother Field for what could be the final game of the season Tuesday night. 

Dylan VanderVeen
2025 Mat-Su Miners Broadcaster