Hicks’ 1st HR lifts Miracle
Aaron Hicks’ first career home run in the Florida State League helped the Fort Myers Miracle erase an early 4-0 deficit Tuesday night en route to a 9-6 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals at Hammond Stadium.
In the first game of a three-game series with the Cardinals, Miracle starter Matt Schuld was roughed up for four runs in the first inning with a RBI hit by catcher Audry Perez and a two-run triple by first baseman Xavier Scruggs, who later scored on a wild pitch.
After the rocky first, Schuld pitched four scoreless giving up just three hits. The Miracle answered offensively in the bottom of the second inning, tagging Cardinal starter John Gast for five runs. After a groundout by Anderson Hidalgo, the Miracle put seven consecutive batters aboard.
Right fielder Jhon Goncalves and center fielder Aaron Hicks teed off on Gast offerings. Goncalves sent an 0-2 pitch over right fielder Ryde Rodriguez’s head for a two-run triple. Hicks followed by turning on a first-pitch fastball and depositing it over the left field wall for a two-run homer. Hidalgo also earned his first of a two-RBI night with a bases-loaded walk.
The Miracle (15-11) picked up some insurance with two runs in the fourth inning, including a run-scoring single and the second RBI by Hidalgo. Left fielder Ramon Santana earned an RBI in the bottom of the seventh with a single.
Nick Romero pushed across another run in the bottom of the eighth with a run-scoring double. Reaching base four times in five plate appearances, Dozier scored three runs.
Four members of the Miracle order had multihit games with Dozier, Romero, Nate Hanson and Danny Rams each with two hits.
Schuld (1-0) pitched five innings giving up six hits, four runs, and issuing two walks. Tom Stuifbergen, recently activated off the disabled list, made his first appearance since April 14 and threw two scoreless innings. Bruce Pugh earned his fifth save of the season by recording the final two outs of the ninth inning after entering the game in relief of Shooter Hunt with the bases loaded and one out.
Gast (0-2) lasted only 3 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits, six earned runs and three strikeouts.
The Miracle and Cardinals (10-16) continue the series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday. Kane Holbrooks is the expected starter for the Miracle.