Devries helps Miracle tame Tigers

Lakeland 3 at Fort Myers 6

W: C. Devries (10-9, 2.93); L: A. Figaro (0-5, 4.91); SV: C. Gutierrez (1)
HR: LAK: J. Laster (22), C. Iorg (10). FTM: S. Singleton (5).

Cole Devries and the Fort Myers Miracle would take the Lakeland Flying Tigers 6-3, and the didn't need the scripted bragging of little men to help them do it.

Cale Iorg would put the Tigers on the board first, putting his 10th home run of the year over the center field wall just as the game started. He was the second batter Devries faced, after retiring Justin Justice on strikes.

The Miracle would take it back though in the bottom of the inning. Yancarlos Ortiz singled then stole 2nd. Steve Singleton took a walk. After Rene Tosoni went down on strikes, Wilson Ramos singled to load the bags. Johnny Woodard then drew a walk, forcing in Ortiz.

In the top of the 3rd, Iorg would walk, then steal 2nd base. Danny Lehmann would overthrow the ball on the pick off attempt, leaving Iorg to scurry to 3rd. Michael Bertram would sacrifice Iorg in to put the Tigers on top again.

But not for long as Steve Singleton smacked his 5th home run of the season over the right field fence, tying the game up again in the bottom half of the stanza.

The game would cease to be a back and forth affair in the bottom of the fourths. Edward Ovalle would be hit by a pitched. Eli Tintor doubled putting runners on second and third. Lehmann's line drive brought Ovalle in, and a wild pitch by Alfredo Figaro allowed Tintor to to score. Garrett Olson would ground out moving Lehmann to 3rd. Ortiz would ground out as well, but as Singleton went down on strikes, Tiger's catcher Jeff Kunkel passed a ball, sending Sing to 1st and Lehmann home. Singleton would then steal 2nd, but Tosoni would fly out to end the inning.

Still three runs is a good little lead and with Devries on the mound, you don't need much of one. Devries would work five, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. Danny Santiesteban worked the next pair.

Jeramy Laster would see something he liked off Santiesteban in the top of the 7th, putting his 22nd home run of the year over the left field wall. The soon-to-be full time pitcher put in a good performance however, allowing only the one hit while striking out two during his time on the mound.

Lehmann would single off reliever Ryan Perry in the bottom of the 8th. Olson followed up with a single of his own. Ortiz would fly out, but Sing stroked a line drive out to right to fill the bases. Tosoni would sacrifice in Lehmann to make it 6-3 Miracle.

Singleton, Lehmann and Olson were all 2-for-4; Sing being the yard bird with a run and a run scored, while Lehmann had a pair of runs and a RBI. Tosoni was 1-for-3 with a walk and a RBI, while Ortiz, Ramos, and Tintor were 1-for-4 each. Ortiz would add a run to his total, Ramos a walk, and Tintor a double and run.

The Tampa Yankees now come to town for the final series of the regular season on the final happy-hour Friday of the 2008. It's also baseball give away night and the "Mightiest Miracle" will be announced as well as voted on by you, the Fort Myers Miracle faithful, during the course of the season.

Expect the mighty Matt Fox (7-7, 3.55) on the mound for the Miracle.

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