Miracle prevail in 9th, 4-3
BRADENTON – Chad Christensen drove in three runs, including the game-winner in the top of the ninth inning, to help the Fort Myers Miracle knock off the Bradenton Marauders 4-3 Friday night.
Tied 3-3, Mitch Garver coaxed a walk out of Marauders reliever Clario Perez with one out. Miracle manager Jeff Smith pinch-ran Zack Granite for Garver at first base and Bryan Haar followed with a single through the left side to put two men on base. Perez (2-3) rallied to retire Ryan Walker on a strikeout. Christensen then stepped up and lined the first pitch from Perez into right-center field. Granite burned around the third base bag and scored standing to put the Miracle up 4-3.
With a one-run lead, the Miracle turned to Todd Van Steensel out of the bullpen. Van Steensel notched his seventh save of the season with a perfect inning, including his team-leading 54th strikeout of the season.
The Miracle never trailed and have now won a season-high six consecutive games.
In the first, Garver delivered a two-out RBI hit off Marauders starter Luis Heredia to get the scoring started. After two quick outs, Alex Swim reached on an error by Bradenton first baseman Edwin Espinal. Heredia then struck Marcus Knecht with a pitch to put runners at first and second base. Garver flicked the bat at a 2-2 pitch and lined a double down the line in right to bring in Swim.
The Miracle extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth. Walker led off with a single through the left side and then stole second. Christensen then sliced a double into the right field corner to bring in Walker and put the Miracle up by two.
Bradenton answered to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Miracle starter Chih-Wei Hu walked Erich Weiss to start the frame then hit Harold Ramirez with a pitch. Reese McGuire laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Edwin Espinal roped a 3-1 pitch into left to score Weiss. Jordan Sterenka followed with a fly ball to left to drive in Ramirez on a sacrifice fly, 2-2.
Hu exited the game after five innings in a no decision with two runs allowed on five hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Heredia also received a no decision for the Marauders with two runs given up, one earned, on five hits, one walk and five punch outs.
After two scoreless innings from Marauders reliever Felipe Gonzalez, a patient Miracle offense pushed across a run in the top of the seventh against Ryan Hafner. Issuing a one out free pass to Knecht, Hafner got Garver to fly out to deep left center, then he lost his command. Hafner walked Haar, Walker and Christensen to force in a run and put the Miracle on top 3-2.
Alex Muren came out of the Miracle pen in the sixth and retired the first eight hitters until a Vielma error allowed Weiss to reach first base. Muren (2-2) then fell behind 2-0 to Harold Ramirez who sent a fly ball into the gap in right-center. Jason Kanzler nearly made a sensational diving catch, but the ball bounced out of his mitt when he made contact on the ground. Weiss raced home from first and tied the game 3-3.
The Miracle (31-30) return to Hammond Stadium for the second game of the series with the Marauders (27-34) Saturday night.