Monday, May 26, 2008

Just add Ramos; rally monkees not needed

Fort Myers Miracle


Palm Beach 2 at Fort Myers 10

W: T. Robertson (3-2, 3.04); L: B. Furnish (3-3, 3.80)
HR: FTM: W. Ramos (7).

Wilson Ramos as always had the ability to hit for power, at least, he's had the ability since playing North American professional baseball. The problem in the past has been his plate discipline and waiting for the right pitch.

That's something that's developed over the past two months. Sunday afternoon, during the fourth inning of a drubbing of the Palm Beach Cardinals, the Fort Myers Miracle slugger hit a bomb over the right field wall for his seventh home run of the season, a grand slam that was the icing on the cake of a Palm Beach route.

The Miracle quickly jumped all over Redbird's starter Brad Furnish, with Edward Ovalle singling in the bottom of the first inning, then moving to 2nd on a wild pitch. Ovalle then stole 3rd, and came home on Danny Valencia's ground ball single to right.

Danny Santiesteban singled his way onto first base, then stole 2nd. With two outs on the board, Santiesteban stole 3rd, then came home on a throwing error by Palm Beach catcher Tony Cruz.

Ovalle and Valencia would both single, with Valencia's ball slamming into Furnish. Following a break in which he was looked at by the Card's trainer, he was taken off the field in favor of Eddie Dagerman. Whit Robbins greeted the new hurler with a single to score Ovalle, and Ramos would ground into a double play, which served to plate Valencia. It was now 4-0 Miracle going into the top of the fourth.

Tony Cruz would get a free pass from Miracle starter Tyler Robertson. Andrew Brown hit a double that plated Cruz for the first Palm Beach run.

Palacios singled in the bottom of the 4th, and move to 2nd on Santiesteban's ground out. Yancarlos Ortiz took a walk, and a wild pitch by Degerman moved the pair. Brian Dinkelman then walked to load the bases. Ovalle would reach on a rare catcher interference call when Cruz's glove interfered with his swing. The dead ball situation forced in Palacios, and Valencia's sacrifice brought in Ortiz. Robbins then drew a walk to again load the bases, just in time for Ramos blast.

In the fifth, Luke Gorsett singled and then moved on a pair of wild pitches. Not saying anything about Palacios, but there seems to be a lot more wild pitches when he catches than when either Ramos or Allan de San Miguel are behind the plate. Nick Derba drew a walk, but Nathan Southard would ground into a double play that brought in Gorsett. Robertson would take Marmol out on strikes to retire the side.

Neither team saw much in the way over scoring opportunities over the next few innings. Robertson would work six, giving up the 2 earned runs on 2 hits and 2 walks while fanning 4. Dagerman would be replaced in the sixth by Justin Fiske, while Danny Hernandez worked the 7th and 8th innings.

Hernandez would give up a walk in the 7th and a single in the 8th, but was efficient otherwise and seems to have settled down from the problems he was working through earlier in the season.

Dinkelman singled in the bottom of the 8th, but was taken down in a force out. Ovalle moved to second on the play, when Redbird 2nd baseman Donovan Solano threw the ball between Andrew Brown's legs at first, and into the dugout. Yangervis Solarete, who was brought into the game as a pinch hitter, ground out to end the inning.

Matt Fox would get Brown to fly out, but issued a walk to Brian Cartie. Luke Gorsett would pop out however and Fox would take Derba out on strikes to finish off the game.

Valencia was 2-for-3 with a run and 2 RBIs, Dinkelman and Ovalle were both 2-for-4, Dink with a walk and a run and Ovalle with 3 runs and a run scored.

The route split the set with the Cardinals. The Miracle rest on Monday. The Sarasota Reds come into town on Tuesday for a pair in the first part of a 3-game home-and-home series. Cole Devries (3-4, 4.13) starts for the Miracle.

Boxscore
Log
Miracle
News Press
NDN
Future Redbirds

Slama Honored: Ft.Myers righthanded pitcher Anthony Slama is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week for May 17-May 23. Slama, 23, allowed just one hit in three games and recorded two saves for the Miracle (3.1 innings). He struck out eight and did not allow an earned run. Slama was the Twins 29th round selection in the 2006 First-Year Player draft out of University of San Diego. He made his professional debut last season going a combined 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA for Elizabethton and Beloit.

Baker to pitch rehab start: TwinsBaseball.com reported Friday that current Twin and former Miracle pitcher Scott Baker will make two minor league rehab starts with the first one on Monday, May 26, at Extended Spring Training. The game, which is played at the Lee County Sportsplex, starts at 10:00 AM. It is free, and open to the public.

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