Hammerheads edge Miracle 4-3
The Jupiter Hammerheads took advantage of an eighth inning balk by reliever Yorman Landa to edge the Fort Myers Miracle 4-3 Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium.
Brian Anderson led off the eighth with a fly ball into left-center that dropped between Logan Wade and Austin Diemer for a triple. After Landa (1-1) got Taylor Ard to ground out to third, he balked during K.J. Woods at-bat. The balk brought in Anderson and broke a 3-3 tie.
Jose Adames tallied a two-inning save for the Hammerheads to cap off a back-and-forth battle. Adames’ first save came with the tying run at third base.
The Miracle scored a pair of runs off Hammerheads pitcher Jorgan Cavanerio in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ryan Walker led off with a bunt single and Alex Swim followed with a double down the third base line to put runners at second and third. Nick Gordon then pulled a pitch to the right side for an RBI groundout to second. Walker scored. Trey Vavra then doubled down the third base line to plate Swim and put the Miracle up 2-0.
Kohl Stewart started for the Miracle and was cruising through five scoreless innings, but the Hammerheads strung together four consecutive hits with one out in the sixth. Dexter Kjerstad got the rally started with a single to right. Brian Schales followed with a line drive hit up the middle. With runners at first and second, Brian Anderson bounced a hit up the middle and plated Kjerstad. After Taylor Ard dropped a bloop hit into left, Miracle manager Jeff Smith brought in Luke Westphal from the bullpen.
Inhereting a bases loaded scenario, Westphal struggled with his command and threw a wild pitch that allowed the Hammerheads to tie the game. Woods coaxed a walk from Westphal to reload the bases and Brad Haynal drove in a run with a walk as the next batter. The bases loaded free pass put the Hammerheads up 3-2.
In the seventh, the Miracle drew even on a long solo home run by Vavra on a 3-2 pitch. He uncorked a majestic 388-foot drive to deep left that landed at the top of the grass hill on the Sun Harvest Citrus Lawn. The homer is Vavra’s first in the Florida State League. Vavra finished the night 3-for-4 with a double, homer and two RBI.
The Miracle (8-6) play the series rubber match with the Hammerheads (5-9) Thursday at Hammond Stadium.