Miracle pen preserves 3-2 win
Florida State League All-Star reliever Spencer Steedley and Blair Erickson teamed up for 3 1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief Friday night as the Fort Myers Miracle pinned a 3-2 defeat on the Clearwater Threshers.
David Bromberg struck out eight in 5 2/3, but battled control problems with six walks. Bromberg gave up three hits with two earned runs, both on a Matt Rizzotti home run in the fourth inning.
Steedley came out of the pen and worked 2 1/3 innings, holding the Threshers hitless and striking out one.
Erickson is now 7-for-8 in save opportunities after a hitless ninth inning with one walk.
The Miracle (34-19) struck first on a double play in the third that scored Jair Fernandez. Evan Bigley’s fourth inning groundout tied the game at 2-2 after Rizzotti’s home run, setting up Rene Leveret’s game-winning RBI single in the sixth.
Julian Sampson (1-6) suffered the loss for Clearwater (25-25) after surrendering six hits, three runs, one walk, and one strikeout.
The win, coupled with the Charlotte Stone Crabs’ 6-1 loss to Daytona, pushes the Miracle 6 1/2 games in front in the South Division standings.
The four-game series finale is 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Hammond Stadium.