Batts, Miracle whip Stone Crabs
PORT CHARLOTTE – Mat Batts helped the Fort Myers Miracle claim a 5-1 victory over the Charlotte Stone Crabs Sunday afternoon with eight brilliant innings on the mound.
In the second, the Miracle scored three runs with two outs. Logan Wade led off with a hard hit ground ball that bounced high over first baseman Pat Blair’s head for a double. Stone Crabs starter Hunter Wood then retired Marcus Knecht on a fly out to right. With Zack Granite in the box, Wood (1-3) balked Wade over to third. Granite popped out in foul territory for the second out.
Michael Quesada drew a walk. Tanner Vavra then bounced a 1-1 pitch up the middle to score Wade for the first Miracle run. With runners at first and second, Engelb Vielma hit a grounder to deep short. Willy Adames gloved the ball for the Crabs, but threw wildly to second base and two more runs scored.
The Miracle extended the lead in the fifth. Vavra started the frame with a single through the left side and Vielma followed with a bunt single. Jason Kanzler hammered a first pitch from Wood off the wall in right. Vavra and Vielma rounded the bases and pushed the Miracle lead to 5-0.
In the seventh, the Crabs busted Batts’ (7-3) shutout bid. Mike Marjama sent an 0-1 pitch into the berm in deep left for a solo home run to lead off the frame. The homer is Marjama’s eighth of the season.
Batts delivered eight splendid innings for the Miracle with nine strikeouts and just one run surrendered on four hits. Todd Van Steensel worked around a pair of hits in the ninth to record the final three outs.
Vielma finished the day with four hits, a run scored and a stolen base. Vavra was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Miracle (66-55, 28-23) return to Hammond Stadium Monday night fir the first of two home games with the Stone Crabs (63-54, 18-29). They return to Port Charlotte on Wednesday to close out the split home-and-home series.