McCardell gem sparks Miracle
JUPITER – After six straight games at Roger Dean Stadium, some members of the Fort Myers Miracle may be looking for a change of scenery, but not starting pitcher Mike McCardell.
In two starts, including Wednesday’s 5-1 victory, he has allowed just six hits and one run in 13 innings, with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
The Miracle (12-7) won the three-game series with the Palm Beach Cardinals 2-1 with Wednesday’s victory. Fort Myers held on to first place in the Florida State League South Division and split the six-game road trip.
McCardell, the FSL’s pitcher of the week, threw brilliantly for the second straight start, the only blemish being a solo home run to left by the Cardinals’ Curt Smith in the bottom of the fourth. McCardell (2-2) tossed seven innings, allowing one run with four strikeouts.
After the homer, Fort Myers scored five unanswered runs, starting with a four-run sixth inning. With no one out and the bases loaded, Steve Singleton drove a double to deep left, scoring two. A Chris Parmelee sacrifice fly and Mark Dolenc’s RBI single added the other two runs, and the Miracle tacked on another in the top of the eighth on Dolenc’s single combined with a throwing error.
Nick Additon (0-1) absorbed the loss and blown save with 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing five hits, five runs – four earned – with two walks and two strikeouts.
Santos Arias finished the game for McCardell with a scoreless two innings.
The Miracle return home to host the Charlotte Stone Crabs at Hammond Stadium at 7:05 p.m. Thursday.