Errors assist Miracle’s 5-3 win
In front of a sellout crowd at Hammond Stadium in the team’s home opener, the Fort Myers Miracle pulled awa in the late innings with some help from Jupiter’s
defense in a 5-3 victory Saturday night.
More than 8,200 fans packed into the stadium to see the Miracle improve to a perfect 3-0 on the season, with a post-game fireworks celebration following the game.
Jupiter (0-3) committed three errors, which contributed to three of the Miracle’s five runs.
With two outs and the score tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, Jhonathan Goncalves hit a warning track shot that appeared to be the third and final out of the inning. Hammerheads left fielder Jeremy Synan lost his concentration and dropped the fly ball, resulting in a two-base play for the Miracle.
After a wild pitch from Chris Harvey moved Goncalves to third, the right-hander skipped another ball several feet in front of catcher Dallas Hord which allowed Goncalves to score the go-ahead run.
Chis Herrmann added an RBI single in the eighth inning to cap off the scoring for the Miracle. The University of Miami product also made a huge contribution for the Miracle in their two-run fourth. After a leadoff single and walk, Herrmann dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line in an attempt to advance the runners up a base.
Hammerheads third baseman Chase Austin was caught off guard, and missed his throw to first trying to rush the play. That allowed Nate Hanson to score from second, and Paul Kelly all the way from first, which at the time allowed the Miracle to take a 3-2 lead game.
The Miracle bullpen continued to dominate, tossing three scoreless innings in relief of starter Tom Stuifbergen. Matt Tone (1-0) pitched the first two innings, allowing only one single to pick up the win. Dakota Watts pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the year.
The Miracle bullpen has not allowed a single run so far in 10 1/3 innings.
Jupiter reliever Chris Harvey (0-1) took the loss.
Stuifbergen tossed six solid innings in his Miracle debut, yielding three runs on seven hits. He struck out five and walked one. Jupiter starter Jose Alvarez allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings of work in his first appearance of the year.
Fort Myers was outhit 8-7 by Jupiter for the first time in the series.
The Miracle (3-0) and Hammerheads (0-3) wrap up their season-opening four-game series at 1:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium. Brad Stillings will make his first
start in a Miracle uniform.