Robertson near perfect through five

Tampa 0 at Fort Myers 4

W: T. Robertson (5-2, 2.75); L: J. Stephens (2-1, 1.06)
HR: None.

Lots of rain around the Florida State League tonight and it originally looked like we'd be playing two tomorrow, but the skies cleared and game got underway 1 minute late a 7:06 PM.

Tyler Robertson took the start, throwing a no hitter through five innings although he did labor a bit at one point walking 2. He would strike out 5, stifling the Yankees with a nice curve ball.

Garrett Olson doubled out to left to start off the Miracle offense. Yancarlos Ortiz would move him on sac-bunt, and he'd come home on a Steve Singleton double.

The Miracle would load the bags in the 3rd, but could not capitalize as Olson was called out on strikes and Ortiz flew out to end the inning.

Robertson would just keep chugging along through 3. However, in the bottom of th 3rd, Wilson Ramos went down after a final swing that struck him out, and had to be helped from the field. As Danny Lehmann was the designated hitter, the Miracle put Danny Berg behind the plate.

After getting Eduardo Nunez to ground out, Robertson would walk Luis Nunez and there seemed to be a bit of a communication problem in the way Berg was framing the plate for him. Robertson would sit Kevin Smith down on strikes, but walked Andres Perez. A bit of a conference on the mound with Berg a few adjustments and he's put Seth Fortenberry to rest on strikes as well.

There would be no such problems in the top of the fifth, as two of the three batters he faced added a couple more Ks to the Kwick Kopy "K" Korner.

In the bottom of the 5th with one out on the board, Olson would single but would get caught stealing. Ortiz drew a walk, and Singleton would pop out to put two outs on the board. Berg knocked a nice line drive to center to bring in Olson, and Juan Portes singled out to left to drive in Ortiz. Edward Ovalle's line drive to center plated Berg to make it 4-0.

Jose Lugo would take over for the top of the 6th and would allow a singled to Eddie Nunez. But this time, it seemed like Jeff Smith managed to get the GOOD Jose Lugo on the mound as we'd take no damage in the inning.

Lugo would also get through the seventh allowing a walk to Fortenberry.

Steve Singleton would smack a nice double off Tampa's Edgar Soto and would move to 3rd on Berg's ground out, but he'd end up stranded as Portes hit into a ground out as well.

Blair Erickson took over the top of the 8th, A fielding error by Portes would allow Eddie Nunez to make his way to 3rd, but with 2 outs on the board, Erickson was able to get Luis Nunez to line out send the Yankees back to the dugout with more goose eggs.

For a man who professes to like rock'n'roll, plays the guitar and named his dog David Bowie, Johnny Cash seems like a really strange selection to make for your mound music. But Cash started to "Run on for a long time" and Anthony Slama trotted on out to mound. One fly out, one single and a pair of strikes later, it was all over, as the slightly damp Miracle faithful made their way home with a happy feeling inside.

Olson, Singleton, and Ovalle were all 2-for-4, Olson with a pair of runs, Singleton and Ovalle each with a run scored. Berg was 1-for-2 with a run and a RBI; Portes was 1-for-4 with a RBI. Solarte and Lehman were the one hit wonders of the game.

The annual Independence Day Fireworks game kicks off Independence weekend Thursday night at Hammond Stadium. Matt Fox (3-3, 3.95) will kick off the on-field fireworks against Tampa's Ivan Nova (3-9, 5.10).

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Whit Robbins is not officially on the DL, but he is not playing because he has stress fractures in his back. This is the same problem that finished off the second half of last season for him. There's no return date for him, as the only cure is rest. He's been serving on and off as first base coach, spelling Slice.

With Berg catching the game, Danny Santiesteban got to serve as bullpen catcher.