Gibson 1-hitter carries Miracle to 2-0 win
JUPITER – Kyle Gibson took a perfect game into the sixth inning Thursday before lsaac Galloway reached on a controversial infield hit, but the Fort Myers Miracle right-hander still dominated the Jupiter Hammerheads (facing the minimum of 27 batters) for a one-hit complete-game shutout win 2-0.
The win is the second in a row for the Miracle (7-13) and their second straight shutout win.
The Minnesota Twins’ first-round draft pick in 2009, Gibson was masterful from start to finish, allowing just three base-runners – none reaching scoring position.
After 15 consecutive Jupiter batters were retired, Galloway hit a slow-rolling ground ball back to the mound that Gibson couldn’t grab. It hit the end of his glove, delaying its path to second-baseman Nick Romero, who made a barehand pickoff and off-line throw to first. Gibson quickly picked Galloway off first base.
After a walk, Gibson induced an inning-ending double play.
In the seventh, after Gibson hit the lead-off batter Kevin Mattison, who was the third runner to reach base, the coaxed another inning-ending double play.
Gibson allowed only two balls to leave the infield, recording 14 groundouts, six strikeouts, two flyouts, two lineouts in the infield, and the one pickoff.
Dating back to Tuesday night’s game, the Hammerheads (9-11) went scoreless in the last 19 innings of the series. Bruce Pugh shut out the Hammerheads Wednesday. Jupiter managed to advance just one runner into scoring position over the last two games.
After back-to-back base hits by Chris Cates and Nick Romero in the first inning, Evan Bigley drove in Cates with a single to right with one out for a 1-0 lead. Bigley picked up an RBI in each game of the three-game series.
The Miracle got their second run in the fifth with a two-out rally. Dan Rohlfing scorched a line drive down the third-base line for a double. Jhonathan Goncalves followed with an RBI single to put the Miracle up 2-0.
With 10 hits Thursday, the Miracle have had double-digit hitting efforts in three of their last four games.
The Miracle start a three-game, three-day series Friday at St. Lucie.