Miracle settle for split

Fort Myers 1 at Palm Beach 3

W: B. Furnish (7-3, 4.00); L: D. Guerra (7-4, 4.84); SV: F. Samuel (14)
HR: None.

While it's still too early in the second half of the season to say "Your first to worst, Fort Myers Miracle!" it was beginning to look like it might come to that.

Deolis Guerra picked up his 4th loss of the season, allowing 3 runs on six hits and four walks while striking out 2 over 5.1 innings.

The Miracle hopped on the board first when Juan Portes drew a walk, stole 2nd and then came home on a Wilson Ramos double. Done for the evening, they packed up their bats and forgot about the other six innings.

Brad Furnish held Fort Myers to just 2 hits and a walk. Francisco Samuel afforded them one more.

Palm Beach tied it up in the bottom of the fourth when Donovan Solano singled and Tony Cruz walked. Brandon Buckman ground into a double play that moved Solano to 3rd. A wild pitch by Guerra sent him home.

Solano walked in the bottom of the sixth. Cruz would line out, but Buckman singled to move Solano to 2nd. Daryl Jones smacked a line drive out to right that scored Solano and put Buckman at 3rd. Blair Erickson would answer coach Jeff Smith's summons to the mound as he retired Guerra. He'd get Luck Gorsett to ground out, but Antonio DeJesus, who'd replaced Buckman at 3rd as a pinch runner, scored on the play.

Ramos would hit his second single of the game in the top of the 7th, but Edward Ovalle, Whit Robbins and Danny Berg wasted no time bring the game to a swift close.

Box
Log

Fort Myers 6 at Palm Beach 3

W: A. Slama (3-0, 0.44); L: T. Norrick (0-1, 27.00)
HR: PBC: T. Cruz (7).

Happily, the general antipathy of game one did not carry over to game two.

The Fort Myers Miracle came out swinging against the Palm Beach Cardinals with Steve Singleton sending a ground ball to second. Danny Berg would move Sing with a sac-bunt, and Wilson Ramos would draw a walk. A wild pitch by Tyler Norrick advanced the runners, and a sac fly by Portes brought in Singleton. Edward Ovalle drew a walk before Yangervis Solarte singled out to center to plate Ramos. Garrett Olson's grounder to center scored Ovalle, giving the Miracle three runs.

Alex Burnett took the start for the Miracle and uncharacteristically allowed three runs in the first inning.

James Rapoport and Donovan Solano both singled off him before Tony Cruz launched his seventh home run ball of the year over the center field fence. After getting Brandon Buckman to fly out, Daryl Jones singled out to right. Brian Cartie flew out before Jones stole 2nd, then advanced to 3rd on a throwing error by catcher Danny Lehmann. Burnett would allow a walk to Nelson before Mike Foli flew out to the end the inning.

Yancarlos Ortiz would walk in the top of the 2nd, and following a fly out to Singleton, move to 2nd on Berg's line drive. Ramos walked to load the bags. Portes would hit a sac fly to bring in Ortiz, but Ovalle lined out, leaving the other two runners stranded.

Burnett would settle down, allowing the 3 runs, earned on six hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. Not one of his stronger performances, but it got the job done.

The top of the 3rd saw Solarte double, and one out later, move to 3rd on Lehmann's ground out. Ortiz singled to bring in his fellow Yan, before Singleton flew out to end the inning.

Berg would walk in the top of the 4th, and move to second on Ramos ground out. Portes would strike out swinging before Ovalle walked and a wild pitch sent Berg to 3rd. A fielding error by Foli allowed Solarte to reach and Berg to score, making it 6-3 Miracle.

Anthony Slama worked the final 2.2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out 5 to pick up his 3rd win of the season.

The Miracle finish up on Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium with lefty Tyler Robertson (4-2,2.60) pitching for the Miracle and right hander Shaun Garceau (3-1, 3.14) tossing for the Cards. The first pitch goes at 7:05 PM.

Box
Log
Miracle
News Press
NDN

FIREWORKS FRENZY

The Miracle provided plenty of fireworks in the first half of the FSL season by winning a division title. More fireworks will follow in the coming days at Hammond Stadium. The team will host postgame fireworks shows on June 28 and July 3. Both games start at 7:05 p.m.

The Miracle will hold a baseball camp for ages 9-12 from July 21-23. Kids will learn fundamentals from Miracle players and coaches. For information contact Justin Stecz 239-768-4210 or jstecz@miraclebaseball.com

The Miracle and Dunkin' Donuts are partnering to promote summer reading. “Books & Bats” returns for the ninth season and asks students, age 12 and under, to read four books over the summer and then fill out a “Books & Bats” bookmark. Students may pick up a bookmark from any Lee or Collier county public school, Lee or Collier county public library, the Lee County Sports Complex or all participating Dunkin' Donuts locations in the tri-county area.

Students will be asked to record the books they have read on the bookmark, and then return the completed bookmark to any participating Lee, Collier and Charlotte county Dunkin' Donuts. Students will receive two tickets to a Miracle game and their choice of two free Dunkin' Donuts or a small smoothie. Tickets can be redeemed for games on Thursday, June 26, Wednesday July 23 or Wednesday, August 13. For more information call 239-768-4210