Late RBI lifts Miracle 3-2
Engelb Vielma lifted the Fort Myers Miracle to a 3-2 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals Friday night at Hammond Stadium with a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning.
With the game tied 2-2, the Cardinals brought in left-hander Tyler Melling for the eighth inning. Zack Granite coaxed a walk from Melling (2-2). Then, Chad Christensen laid down a bunt for a sacrifice. Melling threw to first, but it glanced off Luke Voit’s glove. Granite wheeled over to third and Christensen reached second. Vielma then stepped up and delivered a line drive into left field to drive home Granite with the winning run.
Going to the ninth, the Miracle called on Zack Jones to shut the door. He delivered with his second save of the season in a perfect frame with one strikeout.
Omar Bencomo made his second start for the Miracle and was solid over six innings, but the Cardinals scored early. In the first, Casey Turgeon reached on a throwing error by second baseman Ryan Walker. Breyvic Valera then doubled into left-center and Turgeon moved up to third. Mason Katz then hit a weak ground ball to second. Walker threw out Katz while Turgeon scored to put Palm Beach ahead 1-0.
The Miracle tallied a pair of runs in the fourth against Cardinals starter Daniel Poncedeleon. Struggling with his command, Poncedeleon hit Tanner Vavra to start the inning. Granite then sliced a single into left. Christensen hit slow chopper to third and was retired, but the runners advanced to second and third. Poncedeleon walked Vielma to load the bases. On an 0-1 pitch, Walker hit a slow roller toward second. Valera got the forceout at second, but Vielma’s slide broke up a double play attempt and Vavra scored to tie the game.
Aderling Mejia came to the plate, but the first pitch from Poncedeleon was wild and Granite raced home to give the Miracle a 2-1 lead.
Bencomo held the Cardinals off the board until the sixth. Turgeon reached on a leadoff walk and moved to second on a ground out by Valera. After Bencomo struck out, Voit singled into left with the ball skipping underneath Logan Wade’s glove and Turgeon was waved around third to tie the score 2-2.
Receiving a no decision, Bencomo left after six innings with two runs allowed, one earned, on four hits, three walks, one strikeout and 73 pitches.
Jeff Reed entered in the seventh and tossed two scoreless frames to earn the win. Reed (1-0) struck out three and worked around two hits.
The Miracle (64-55, 26-23) complete the short three-game series with the Cardinals (65-62, 33-14) at Hammond Stadium Saturday night