Aussie powers Eastern League North win

South All-Stars 3 at North All-Stars 5

W: J. Martinez; L: P. Bresnehan; SV: B. Julianel
HR: EASS: G. Golson, R. Roberson. EASN: L. Hughes.

Luke Hughes hit a 3-run home run in the sixth inning to lead the Eastern League North All-Stars to a 5-3 over the South All-Stars at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester.

Hughes finished up 1-for-4 at the plate with a run and 3 RBIs. Ben Julianel picked up the save in the game, while Ryan Mullins, also named to the All-Star game, did not make an appearance.

Steve Tolleson was selected to the All-Star team as well, but did not participate due to an injury.

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The New Britain Rock Cats begin a four-game set in New Hampshire on Thursday with the first pitch due at 7:05 PM.

PCL All-Stars 6 at INT All-Stars 5

W: L. Pena; L: B. Neal
HR: INTA: C. Carter

Rochester Red Wing Darnell McDonald was 1-for-2 at the plate as the PCL All-Stars edged the Int All-Stars 6-5 at Louisville Slugger Field. McDonald singled in the first inning. He reached on a fielder's choice in the third, then stole 2nd base.

The Pacific Coast League errupted for a six-run ninth inning to pick up the win after being shut out through eight.

Former Miracle Terry Tiffee was 0-for-4 with a pair of strike outs for the Pacific Coast League squad.

Detroit prospect Blaine Neal allowed all six Pacific Coast runs, five earned, on 4 hits and walk in .1 innings worth of work. He fanned only 1 and had a stellar 135.00 ERA while representing the Mud Hens in at the All-Star Game.

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The Red Wings host the Norfolk Tide for a four-game set starting on Friday. First pitch its 7:05 at Frontier Field. Southpaw Francisco Liriano (7-2, 3.53 ERA) will take on the Tides RHP Hayden Penn (4-4, 4.97).

Randy Ruiz will bring his 22-game hitting streak - tied for the club record - into Thursday night's contest.

Morneau's All-Star Performance wins it for AL

Former Miracle Justin Morneau scored the winning run as the AL beat the NL 4-3 in 15 inn. to extend its All-Star game mark to 11-0-1 since '97. After winning the Home Run Derby on Monday, Morneau continued to rule the All-Star game, going 2-for-4 at the plate with 2 runs and a walk. Boston's J.D. Drew was the only other American League All-Star with a multi hit game, also going 2-for-4 at the plate, but with 1 run and 2 RBIs.

Joe Mauer was 1-for-1 with a walk, while the Twins' Joe Nathan pitched 1 inning, striking out 1.

Morneau would hit a a single to shallow center to get on board in the bottom of the 15th. He moved to second on Dioner Navarro's (Tampa Bay Rays) single and to 3rd on Drew's walk. Texas Ranger's shortstop Mike Young then sacrificed him in for the game winning run.

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Seen around the Miracle Dugout:


Rookie Carlos Gutierrez was friendly and chatted with all, signing autographs.


A more experienced Danny Santiesteban keeps an eye on the Florida weather.


"We're not playing while the field is still tarped again," Steve Singleton, Whit Robbins, et al on the bench.





Up Next:

The Miracle travel to historical Jackie Robinson Stadium to take on the Daytona Cubs. RHP Alex Burnett (6-3, 3.69) will start game one of the series for the Miracle, with the first pitch coming at 7:05 p.m. The Cubs are 14-10, 3rd in the East Division, while the Miracle are 13-12, also in third, but in the West Division. The Miracle have lost 6 of their last 10 games, while the Cubs have a 7-3 record over their last 10.

Fort Myers returns home on Sunday when they begin a 4-game homestand against the St. Lucie Mets. Tickets can be purchased at the Miracle boxoffice or on line at www.miraclebaseball.com.

Snappers notable, but not shining at All-Stars game

West All-Stars 5 at East All-Stars 4

W: B. Parker; L: M. Ramirez
HR: MIDW: T. Smith.

It would take 10 innings for the West All-Stars to defeat the East All-Stars, with Clinton's Timothy Smith (Texas) earning MVP honors by going yard off Miguel Ramirez of the host Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers) for the game winner.

For the Twins batters, Ben Revere would be o-for-2, as was short stop Chris Cates. Jair Fernandez would go 1-for-2 at the plate with a strike out.

David Bromberg did not fair well in his start, allowing three runs on three hits and 2 walks over .2 innings worth of work.

Steve Hirschfield worked 1 inning, allowing 1 run on 1 hit while fanning three. Loek Van Mil took over for the following inning, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out 1 but keeping the East off the board.

Spencer Steedley worked .1 inning, giving up 2 hits.

Yes, it's true. The only runs give up to the East came from Snappers players.

Bromberg was the hardest hit, walking designated hitter Manuel Rodriguez (Toronto) and infielder Andrew Parrino (San Diego) to start. He'd get Evan Frey (Arizona) out on strikes, but a single by Peter Kosma (St. Louis) loaded the bases. Andrew Lambo's (LA Dodgers) line drive brought in Rodriguez, while Chris Carlson's (Detroit) ground out plated Parrino. A single to Charles Kingrey (St. Louis) brought Kozma past the plate and prompted a pitcher change, with Trevor Reckling (LA Angels) coming in to finish off the inning.

All four of the West's runs would come while the All-Star starters were still in the game. Fernandez would single in the tenth after Smith's game winner had gone out of the park.

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LEN3 reported that Deibinson Romero and Paul Kelly were activated from the DL and sent to Beloit. That leave the Beloit moves as follows:

Start 25 players.

Outgoing to Fort Myers:
Garrett Olson
Steve Singleton
Danny Lehmann
Matt Williams
Total = -4

Outgoing to Elizabethton:
Danny Berlind
Brad Tippett
Total = -2

Incoming from Fort Myers
Henry Reyes
Allan de San Miguel
Total = +2

Incoming from DL:
Deibinson Romero
Paul Kelly
Total = +2

current = 25-4-2+2+2=23 (down 2)

The Snappers are on the road for the next eight, starting with a 4-game set against Peoria Chiefs on Thursday. The contest is slated for a 7:00 PM start.

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.

Ingram to broadcast FSL All-star game

Derek Ingram, the "voice of the Daytona Cubs" will again be behind the mic, calling all the action of the Florida State League All-star game as it happens on Saturday, June 14, from Space Coast Stadium.

Coverage of the prospect showcase will begin at 6:45, live from the home of the Brevard County Manatees. The first pitch will be thrown out 7:15 PM.

The game will be broadcast locally in Daytona Beach on 1380 AM. It an also be heard live over the internet at http://www.daytonacubs.com/, http://www.milb.com/ and http://www.fslbaseball.com/.

Ingram is in his 3rd season with the Dayton Cubs and has called the All-star festivies in 2006 at Lakeland and 2007 at Daytona Beach.

The Fort Myers Miracle are sending six representatives to this season's Florida State League All-star game. Starting pitcher Jeff Manship (7-3, 2.86 ERA) will be joined by relievers Anthony Slama (2-0, .50 ERA, 12 SVs) and Rob Delaney (1-2, 1.42 ERA, 13 SVs) on the mound. Miracle second baseman Brian Dinkelman (.293 AVG, 2 HR) and third baseman Danny Valencia (.336 Avg, 5 HR) welcome catcher Wilson Ramos (.242 AVG, 8 HR) to the crew, after he was added to replace injured Lakeland catcher James Skelton.

Outfielder Rene Tosoni (.325 AVG, 1 HR) was also named to the All-star showcase, but will not participate due to a broken foot.

The Miracle finish up the first half of the FSL season on the road against the Dunedin Blue Jays with a three game series starting on Monday, June 16. They return home on Thursday, June 19, to kick off the second half of the season with a 3-game series agains I-75 rivals the Sarasota Reds.

Thursday, June 19, the Miracle will hold Dog Daze II. Bring your pooch to the park for a night of fun as baseball and dogs just naturally go together. June 20 is Big Splash Day as Hammond Stadium is converted into one giant waterpark. Game time for this special event is Noon. Saturday is the Baseball Cap Giveaway night. The first 750 fans receive a cap courtesy of North Trail RV.

Are you ready for a Miracle?