Wanted. One Bullpen. Must be able to throw for strikes.

Fort Myers 6 at Palm Beach 10

W: E. Hernandez (3-1, 5.70); L: J. Lugo (1-4, 5.82)
HR: FTM: E. Ovalle (6).

Tyler Robertson had a tough night for his second outing back from tendinitis and the bullpen continued to emit great sucking sounds as the Fort Myers Miracle saw a 4-run sixth inning wasted by their pitching staff.

Palm Beach would get on the board first, when Tony Cruz drew a walk off Robertson. Brandon Buckman's line drive move Cruz to 3rd and a Luke Goresett line drive single saw him across the plate.

The Miracle took it back in to the top of the 2nd when Garrett Olson hit a ground rule double with 2 outs. Eli Tintor followed that with a walk and Yancarlos Ortiz hit a line drive out to left to score Olson.

Edward Ovalle homered in the top of the 4th to give the Miracle a slim lead.

It would be squandered though as Cruz doubled off Robertson to start the bottom of the fifth. A wild pitch moved Cruz to 3rd. He'd get Brandon Buckman out on strikes before hitting Gorsett with a pitch. Daryl Jones line drive single scored Cruz to tie up the game. Jeff Smith had seen enough at that point and fetch Oswaldo Sosa from the bullpen. Brian Carte would hit a sac-fly off Sosa to drive in Gorsett, and a throwing error by Olson, who suddenly found himself a center fielder(?!), moved Jones to 3rd. Daniel Decalso's grounder to second plated Jones to make it 4-2 Cards.

Blake King would take over the Cardinals mound from Shaun Garceau in the top of the sixth. Juan Portes took a walk and moved to 2nd on a wild pitch. Yangervis Solarte then singled, putting Portes on 3rd and Olson walked to load the bags. After a strike out by Tintor, Ortis singled to drive in a pair. Steve Singleton then doubled to finish cleaning off the bases, and it was 6-4 Miracle.

The bottom the 7th saw Gorsett single and Jones Walk. Cartie would go down on a sac-bunt that moved the pair. Smith then summoned Jose Lugo from the bullpen and all I could do was scream "No! No! No!" Descalso took a walk and Nick Derba struck out swinging. James Rapoport then singled to bring in the tying runs.

Then, to compound matters, they let Lugo back out for the 8th. Cruz walked and Buckman doubled. Goresett's grounder scored Cruz and a wild pitch brought in Buckman. Daryl Jones then walked. Blair Erickson would come in, although a tad bit late. Cartie would hit a sac-bunt to move the runners and Erickson then intentionally walked Descalso. He'd then, quite unintentionally, walk Derba to force in a run. A wild pitch would see Jones home to finish off the Cards scoring.

Ortiz was 3-for-4 for the Miracle with a run and 3 RBIs. Six other Miracle had single with only Berg and Portes going without, although both took walks in the game.

They now return home to "Flight to nowhere", one of the lamest promotions I'd ever read about and if any of the Fun Is Good staff thinks they're going to charge me for bringing my bag into the stadium, well...they better remember that FIGs are the main part of FIGgy pudding and I may just have to whip me up a batch on the concourse. I can't image why Steve Gliner thinks people will pay to go to a Miracle game to experience all the unpleasant aspects of air travel, when they can just hop on over to Southwest Florida International Airport, but...there it is. One hopes he comes with a warning label that says "Caution, may contain nut".

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New Hampshire 3 at New Britain 1

W: B. Cecil (3-1, 3.21); L: R. Mullins (6-6, 3.40); SV: Z. Dials (11)
HR: NHM: J. Arencibia (2).

The Rock Cats narrowly missed a second straight shut out on Wednesday when Danny Valencia single, moved to 2nd on a Brock Peterson walk and came in on an Erik Lis double in the eighth inning.

The Rock Cats out hit the Fisher Cats 9 to 8, but they couldn't get anything in clumps. (Perhaps a new brand of kitty litter?)

Valencia and Lis were both 2-for-4 on the nights. Dustin Martin, David Winfree, Peterson, Rocky Palacios and Brian Dinkelman all had singles.

Mullins suffered his sixth loss of the season, despite a quality start that saw him give up only 3 run, 2 earned, on seven hits and a pair of walks while fanning 5 over seven innings.

A throwing error by Peterson in the top of the 2nd lead to the unearned run.

Former Dunedin Blue Jay Brett Cecil pitched five shutout innings for the 3rd consecutive game, scattering 5 hits and striking out 4.

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