Miracle take pair from Stone Crabs
The Fort Myers Miracle took both games of a doubleheader over the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 4-1 and 5-2, at Hammond Stadium Tuesday evening.
In game one, Stephen Gonsalves pitched seven solid innings, allowing just one run on four hits. Gonsalves (6-1) struck out seven and walked just one.
The Miracle offense got rolling in the fourth inning when Josmil Pinto snapped a scoreless tie. On a 3-2 pitch from Stone Crabs starter Buddy Borden, Pinto launched a 425-foot home run to center field.
Charlotte answered in the top of the fifth. Jace Conrad doubled into center field. Gonsalves then fanned Yoel Araujo for the first out, but Armando Araiza singled to put runners on the corners. Braxton Lee then hit a grounder to second. Ryan Walker threw out Lee at first, but Conrad scored to tie the game, 1-1.
In the fifth, Walker got the Miracle started with a base hit up the middle. Logan Wade then doubled down the first base line and Walker advanced to third. Borden (8-7) walked Jason Kanzler intentionally to load the bases. After Zack Granite struck out, Tanner Vavra poked a two-run single through the right side to drive in a pair of runs. An errant throw home on the play allowed Wade two score the second run. Kanzler, at third base, saw the ball was up the line and sprinted home to put the Miracle up 4-1.
Gonsalves closed out the game by retiring the last four in a row.
In game two, the Stone Crabs took the lead with a pair of runs in the third.
The Miracle stormed back in the bottom of the third against Crabs starter Greg Harris. Michael Quesada dropped a base hit into right field. Vavra then pulled a single through the left side. Engelb Vielma came to the plate and hit a high chopper to second base. Wong gloved and flipped to second for the out, but Guevara’s turn to first sailed past first base. Vielma advanced to second and Quesada to third.
Aderling Mejia then lifted a 2-2 pitch into right field. Justin Williams made the catch and Quesada tagged to score. As Quesada was coming home, Vielma moved from second to third. Williams’ throw missed the target and Vielma popped up after a slide at third base and raced home, 2-2.
In the fifth, the Miracle took the lead with Crabs reliever Steve Ascher on the mound. Vavra coaxed a lead-off walk from Ascher (7-3) and was sacrifice bunted to second by Vielma. Aderling Mejia then lofted a double into right field and Vavra scored, 3-2.
The Miracle added a pair of runs in the sixth. Marcus Knecht started with a broken bat single to center and stole second base. Chad Christensen then bunted Knecht to third. After a walk to Granite, Charlotte reliever Josh Kimborowicz threw a wild pitch with Quesada at the plate. Knecht scored. Granite was attempting to steal second and was able to scoot to third base. Quesada popped up for the second out, but Vavra came through again. On a 1-1 pitch, Vavra laid down a bunt single. Granite sped home and Vavra beat out the throw from Kimborowicz, 5-2.
Stewart (6-7), after allowing two runs in the third, went into lockdown mode. Stewart retired the final 13 hitters consecutively en route to the complete game. Over seven innings, Stewart gave up two runs on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts.