Miracle’s Gonsalves hurls 5-1 gem
Stephen Gonsalves was sharp in his final start of the season to help guide the Fort Myers Miracle to a 5-1 victory over the Charlotte Stone Crabs Friday night at Hammond Stadium.
Gonsalves (7-2) dominated the Stone Crabs lineup and did not allow a hit until the sixth inning. Totaling five strikeouts, Gonsalves gave up one run on two hits and faced just two over the minimum on 79 pitches.
The Miracle unloaded on Charlotte starter Greg Harris in the early innings to build a lead for Gonsalves. In the first, Ryan Walker ripped a double into the right-center gap. Charging from right field, Justin Williams watched the ball bounce off his knee and into left-center. Walker raced around second and through third base to score and put the Miracle up 1-0 on the play.
In the second, the Miracle added another pair of runs off Harris (1-4). Bryan Haar led off with a single into right and Marcus Knecht drew a walk. Zack Granite then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push both runners into scoring position. Harris then surrendered an infield hit to Blake Schmit to load the bases. Tanner Vavra roped an 0-1 pitch down the third base line to bring in Haar and Knecht for a 3-0 lead.
Harris allowed the leadoff man to reach again in the third by walking Mitch Garver. Logan Wade turned on a 1-2 pitch and lined a double into right. Garver advanced to third. Haar tallied his second hit and an RBI with a bloop single to center field to bring in Garver.
Gonsalves’ only blemish came in the sixth when Williams started the frame with a double. After Armando Araiza grounded out to third, Williams advanced 90 feet to third base on a wild pitch. Pat Blair then sliced a 2-2 pitch down the first base line for a single and Williams trotted home to get the Stone Crabs on the board 4-1.
The Miracle immediately answered with a run in the sixth off Charlotte reliever Steven Ascher. With two outs, Walker lined a base hit to center field. The next pitch to Garver was stung into left-center for a two-out RBI double and a 5-1 lead.
Matt Summers relieved Gonsalves in the seventh and tossed three scoreless innings. Summers gave up just one hit, walked one and struck out two to earn his first save of the season.
The Miracle (76-62, 38-30) return to Port Charlotte Saturday for a 6 p.m. first pitch against Charlotte (68-66, 23-41).