Slegers cuffs Jupiter in 2-1 win
Aaron Slegers delivered seven strong innings in a 2-1 win by the Fort Myers Miracle over the Jupiter Hammerheads Monday night at Hammond Stadium.
Slegers (7-5) kept the Hammerheads off the board until the seventh and received offensive support in the third with back-to-back sacrifice flies.
Alex Swim led off the third with a ground ball to shortstop. Justin Bohn misplayed the bouncing ball and Swim reached first on the error. With Mitch Garver at the plate, Swim advanced to second base on a passed ball. Garver then stroked a single up the middle off Jupiter starter Henderson Alvarez to put runners on the corners. Alvarez (0-1) then walked Brett Doe to load the bases.
With a runner at every bag, Ryan Walker lifted a fly ball into left-center to drive in Swim with a sac-fly. Austin Dean made an over the shoulder catch. As Swim scored, Garver advanced to third. T.J. White then knocked a 1-1 pitch into right field. Cameron Flynn caught the ball for the second out, but Garver tagged and scored from third for the winning run.
Making a MLB rehabilitation start from the Miami Marlins, Alvarez went three innings and gave up two unearned runs on four hits with two walks.
Facing just two over the minimum through the first six frames, Slegers allowed a run in the ninth. Dean led off with a single through the right side and then advanced to second on a ground out to third by Avery Romero. After Brian Anderson popped up to short, Felix Munoz pulled a double into right field to plate Dean.
Slegers exited the game after seven innings with one run surrendered on five hits, no walks and five strikeouts.
Todd Van Steensel took over out of the Miracle bullpen in the eighth and tossed a 1-2-3 inning. Van Steensel remained in the game to work around a one-out single in the ninth and record his 12th save of the season.
The Miracle (52-43, 14-11) and Hammerheads (43-52, 8-17) play the series rubber match Tuesday night.