Devries, bullpen lead Miracle shutout
Special to the Daily Breeze, breezesports@breezenewspapers.com
Fort Myers Miracle starting pitcher Cole Devries tossed a brilliant six innings of four-hit ball in leading a 5-0 shutout of the Sarasota Reds Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium.
The bullpen trio of Danny Vais, Frank Mata and Rob Delaney helped keep the slate clean as the Miracle (33-18) earned their third shutout of the season.
The Miracle began producing runs in their first at-bat. Brian Dinkelman led off with a walk, moved to second on Danny Valencia’s infield single and scored on Whit Robbins’ single to left. Two innings later, Valencia picked up his Florida State League-best 42nd RBI of the year on the back end of back-to-back doubles with Edward Ovalle.
Juan Portes and Yancarlos Ortiz teamed up for the next pair of Miracle runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Portes led off the Miracle fourth smoking a double to the gap in left-center. Ortiz drove him in with a two-out single to left for a 3-0 lead. In the sixth, it was Portes again who led off with a base hit to left, stole second and scored on Ortiz’s second straight two-out single.
Later in the sixth, Ortiz scored from first on Dinkelman’s two-base hit down the left field line to close out scoring.
A pair of hit streaks were extended as Robbins’ base hit in the first pushed his streak to a team-high 13 games. Ovalle’s double in the third moved his streak to nine.
Out of the pen, Vais worked a three-up, three-down seventh with two strikeouts. Mata struck out one in a perfect eighth, and Delaney worked around a couple of two-out hits in the ninth.
With Tampa’s win Tuesday, the Miracle find themselves with a three-game cushion atop of the FSL West Division.
The Reds and Miracle collide again Wednesday at Hammond Stadium.