Wednesday, July 30, 2008

5-run fifth inning dooms Miracle

Steve Singleton


Fort Myers 6 at Dunedin 7

W: R. Gonzalez (9-3, 3.56); L: D. Guerra (10-6, 4.89); SV: C. Falkenbach (20)
HR: None.

Deolis Guerra would not make it out of the fifth inning, giving up 5 runs - a total of 7, 6 earned - on 9 hits and 4 walks. He'd strike out only one.

As a result, the Dunedin Blue Jays took a five run lead and were able to hold off the Fort Myers Miracle until the end of the contest, winning 7-6 at Knology Park.

Steve Singleton opened the game with a walk, then moved to 2nd on a wild pitch by Reider Gonzalez. After Danny Lehmann popped out, Wilson Ramos doubled Singleton in for an early Fort Myers lead.

Chris Emanuele singled in the bottom of the inning, then moved to 2nd on a wild pitch by Guerra. Brad Eamau took a walk and a passed ball by Lehmann advanced the pair. Cory Patton's ground out would score Emanuele, tying up the game.

In the bottom of the 2nd Adam Calderone walked, then stole 2nd. Al Quintana singled to move him to 3rd, and a Luis Sanchez sac-fly plated him for the Jay's second run of evening.

Juan Portes reached on a fielding error by Brad Emaus and moved to 2nd on Garrett Olson's single. Eli Tintor singled as well, loading the bags. Danny Santiesteban then hit into a force out that scored Portes to tie up the game again.

Patton lead off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Brian Dopirak singled and Jesus Gonzalez doubled to plate the pair of runners. Marcos Cabral singled to bring in Gonzalez and Calderone tripled in Cabrial. At the point field manager brought Spencer Steedley into the game, replacing Guerra. Steedley allowed a single to Quitara which drove in Calderone but finally found an out as he got Sanchez to ground into a force out. Emanuele wold single before Emaus and Patton both ground out to end the inning with runners on second and third.

The Twins now had a lot of catch up work to do, so they got to it with Johnny Woodard and Portes hitting back-to-back singles. The Jays would then call for a pitching change bringing Chad Blackwell into the game to replace the outgoing Gonzalez. Blackwell would get Olson to ground into a force out that took Woodard down at 3rd. Tintor would fly out before Santiesteban singled to score Portes. Yancarlos Ortiz would reach on a throwing error that also plated Olson before Singleton popped out to finish off the top of the sixth.

In the top fo the 7th, Lehmann would be plunked by a pitch. Ramos and Woodard hit back-to-back singles to load the bags. Portes would go down on strikes, while Olson sacrificed in Lehmann. Tintor would go down on strikes as well to send the Jays up to bat again.

Steedley would work two innings for the Miracle, allowing just two hits. Matt Williams had the hill for the seventh and the eighth innings, allowing 3 hits and a walk, but otherwise keeping the Jays under control.

The top of the 9th would be do or die for the Miracle, and Wooodard opened up the crucial inning, going down on strikes. Portes would ground out before Whit Robbins was brought in as a pinch runner and drew a walk. Tintor and Santiesteban hit back-to-back singles score Robbins before Yancarlos Ortiz ground out, ending the contest.

Ramos, Woodard, Tintor and Santiesteban were all 2-for-5, Ramos with a double and a run scored and Santiesteban with 3 RBIs. Singleton was 1-for-4 with a run, and Olson was 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Portes was 1-for-5 with a pair of runs.

Dunedin claimed the series, 2 games to one. The Miracle take Wednesday off before returning home to Hammond Stadium on Thursday to face the Clearwater Threshers on a Thirsty Thursday. The Mighty Gonzalez with will on hand to perform stupid human tricks,

Oswaldo Sosa has the mound for the Miracle. Game time is 7:05 PM, gates open at 6:00.

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