Late rally tops Miracle 2-1
JUPITER – The Jupiter Hammerheads knocked off the Fort Myers Miracle 2-1 Friday night in their three-game series opener.
The Miracle jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Back in the lineup, Engelb Vielma singled to center field off Jupiter starter Scott Lyman. Vielma then swiped second base with Alex Swim in the box. Lyman got Swim to ground out to third for the first out. Then, with Bryan Haar at the plate, Lyman balked and Vielma moved to third. Haar hit a ground ball to second that was handled by Avery Romero for the second out, but Vielma scored. Haar picked up his fourth RBI of the season.
After seven scoreless innings by Miracle starter Brett Lee, the Hammerheads finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Yefri Perez singled on a ground ball up the middle and then stole second base. J.T. Riddle then lifted a line drive into center to score Perez from second and tie the game 1-1.
Lee (0-2) exited and J.T. Chargois came out of the Miracle bullpen. Chargois struck out Blake Barber for the second out, but surrendered a double to Austin Dean into right field. Riddle raced home and the Hammerheads took a 2-1 lead.
Going 7 1/3 innings, Lee gave up two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
At the end of the eighth inning, the rains came causing a two-hour, 11-minute delay.
Tyler Kinley came on for the bottom of the ninth for the Hammerheads. Kinley retired Mitch Garver on an infield pop-up to start the inning, but Jason Kanzler reached on a single to right. Chad Christensen then doubled to left. Trying to tie the game, Kanzler was gunned out at home plate by Dean on a throw from left for the second out of the game. Kinley got Logan Wade to ground out to first to end the game and notch his third save of the season.
The Miracle (16-19) lock horns with the Hammerheads (14-21) again Saturday.