Miracle shred Tortugas 9-0
DAYTONA BEACH – Starter Felix Jorge struck out eight and delivered 6 2/3 scoreless frames as the Fort Myers Miracle shut out the Daytona Tortugas 9-0 Sunday evening.
The Miracle exploded on Tortugas starter Jake Paulson in the third. Sending 10 batters to the plate, the Miracle scored five runs on six hits. Brian Navarreto led off with a base hit up the middle and then scored on Edgar Corcino’s RBI triple into the right field corner.
Austin Diemer stepped up and roped a first pitch from Paulson (0-2) into left field to plate Corcino. Alex Swim kept the inning going with a fifth consecutive hit and Diemer went from first to third base. Nick Gordon added an RBI single on a bouncer through the right side. Aristides Aquino’s throw from right field was too late to get Diemer, allowing Swim to move up to third.
After Trey Vavra struck out, Chris Paul coaxed a walk. Logan Wade then smacked a 2-2 pitch up the middle to score two more runs and give the Miracle a 5-0 lead.
Paulson remained in the game to begin the fourth inning and the Miracle lineup continued to pound the Tortugas hurler. Corcino tallied his second triple of the evening, yanking a first pitch fastball down the first base line. Diemer again singled in Corcino for his second RBI. After Swim flew out to left, Gordon registered his second hit with a line drive smash up the middle. Vavra popped up, but a passed ball advanced Diemer to third and Gordon to second. Paul sliced a 3-2 pitch into right. Aquino failed on a diving attempt and Paul drove in two runs with a triple 8-0.
Jorge (1-1) received a large amount of run support, but needed very little in stifling the Tortugas lineup. Striking out a season-high eight, Jorge surrendered just three hits with one walk to earn his first victory. Raul Fernandez entered the game with two outs in the seventh after Jorge tossed 96 pitches, 74 for strikes.
Fernandez completed the shutout by allowing just one hit while retiring the final seven outs.
Four Miracle batters recorded multi-hit games. Diemer was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Gordon finished the night 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Navarreto was 2-for-4 with two runs and Corcino was 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs and an RBI.
The Miracle (7-4) play the final game of a four-game set with Daytona (4-7) on Monday