Super Dad Sunday

About 20 years ago, a number of fathers took their sons out on their lawn and taught them to play catch. 25 of those youngster became the young men we know today as the Fort Myers Miracle. To their Dads, and all Dads everywhere, Miraclefans.com would like to wish you all a Happy Fathers Day.

West All-stars 9 at East All-stars 3

W: R.Porcello (1-0, 9.00); L: R.Morse (0-1, 9.00)
HR: WST: Stubbs (1), Iorg (1)

Fort Myers Miracle All-star Brian Dinkelman was 2-for-6 at the plate with 2 runs and Danny Valencia was 2-for-5 with a triple, 1 run and 2 RBIs as the West Division All-Stars beat the East Division All-stars, 9-3.

Catcher Wilson Ramos was 0-1 for 1 at the plate with a walk. Both Valencia and Dinkelman played the whole contest, while Ramos split time with Dunedin's J.P. Arencibia, the only other West Division player with a multi-hit game.

Dinkelman would single to start off the game, then move to 2nd when Clearwater's Gus Milner walked. Valencia's fly out moved Dink to 3rd, and a passed ball by Palm Beach's Tony Cruz brought him home.

In the top of the six, Dinkelman would reach on a fielding error by Jupiter's Logan Morrison. Milner's single moved him to second and the pair would be tripled in by Valencia. Lakeland's Ryan Strieby would single out to left 2 outs later to score Valencia.

Jeff Manship worked the 3rd inning for the West, posting goose eggs on his line score by getting Daytona's Tony Thomas to ground out and Daytona's James Adduci to ground into a double play after Brevard County's Darren Ford reached on a fielding error by Valencia.

Slama worked the fifth inning, walking 2 and striking out 1, while ace closer Rob Delaney mopped up in the ninth, allowing 2 hits and striking out 1.

Sarasota's Drew Stubbs earned MVP honors by going 1-for-3 at the plate with a two-run homer in the 2nd inning.

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The Miracle take Sunday off and return to play on Monday as they head over to Dunedin for a three-game series against the Jays to finish off the first half of the FSL season.

Fort Myers may be a few players short on the trip as Manship, Valencia, Dinkelman and either Delaney or Slama (but not both) will be headed to AA New Britain. Catcher Rocky Palacios was already promoted to back up Rock Cat catcher Drew Butera. Former Miracle Jose Morales re-injured the ankle he hurt at the end of last season, and Fort Myers alumni Jeff Christy received the call to Rochester to replace him.

The Midwest League does not play their All-star game until Tuesday, so unless players are loaned to the Miracle from the GCL for the road trip, the roster will be a little light.

One of the players who may be assigned to the Miracle is former 2nd round draft pick Paul Kelly who has been rehabbing at the Lee County Sportsplex. Kelly had a single in the 7-inning scrimmage that was played between the GCL Twins and Elizabethton Twins Saturday Morning. CGL shut out E-Town, 2-0.

The Miracle return home on Thursday to open the 2nd half of the season against the Sarasota Reds. It is Dog Daze II as well as Thirsty Thursday. The GCL Twins also begin their season on Thursday with a Noon game against the Pirates at the Lee County Sportsplex.