Miracle win 6th straight 2-0
The trio of Kohl Stewart, Corey Williams and D.J. Johnson combined to shut out the Palm Beach Cardinals 2-0 Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium, the season-long sixth straight win for the Fort Myers Miracle.
After a one-hour, 35-minute rain delay, the Cardinals sent Silfredo Garcia to the mound rather than scheduled starter Nick Petree. In the second inning, the Miracle scored both their runs. Garcia (0-1) hit Mitch Garver on a 3-2 pitch to put a runner aboard. Garver advanced to second on a groundout by Haar. Ryan Walker yanked a 1-0 pitch into the right-center gap to score Garver and put the Miracle up 1-0.
Tanner Vavra bounced out to the shortstop for the second out and Walker advanced to third. Engelb Vielma knocked in a two-out RBI by reaching on an infield hit to the second baseman. Walker scored to give the Miracle a 2-0 advantage.
Stewart (3-4) and the bullpen made the two-run lead hold. Over six innings, Stewart scattered five hits and stranded seven base runners. While walking three, Stewart tied a season-high with five strikeouts.
Williams entered the game in the seventh and worked a scoreless frame. After getting the first out of the eighth, Williams exited in favor of Johnson. Allowing a hit and a walk, Johnson recorded the final five outs without giving up a run to earn his first save of the year.
The Miracle defense was splendid with a fourth consecutive errorless game and the infield turned three double plays on the evening; one behind each pitcher.
Walker finished the night 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Vielma picked up multiple hits for a second consecutive game and was 2-for-3.
Matching a season-high six-game winning streak, the Miracle have registered a win in 12 of the last 14 games.
The Miracle (37-32) go for the sweep of the Cardinals (32-37) at 11:35 a.m. Wednesday.