Miracle win third straight, 9-1
JUPITER – Alex Swim collected three hits, while Ryan Walker and Nick Gordon each added two and scored twice to lead an 11-hit offensive attack, and Stephen Gonsalves tossed six scoreless innings as the Fort Myers Miracle topped the Jupiter Hammerheads 9-1 Tuesday night.
The Miracle have won three straight games following a three-game losing streak.
Fort Myers took control of the game early as they pounded out five hits and used two walks and two wild pitches to score five times in the third inning. Logan Wade walked and Edgar Corcino singled to start the inning. They each moved up on a ground out. The first of two wild pitches by Jupiter starter Jorgan Cavanerio then scored Wade. Ryan Walker followed with a line triple to left to score Corcino, and then another wild pitch scored Walker to increase the advantage to 3-0.
Singles by Chris Paul and Gordon, followed by an intentional walk to Trey Vavra loaded the bases for Swim, who singled in the fourth run of the inning. An RBI groundout off the bat of Alex Real drove in Gordon for the fifth and final run of the frame.
The lead was stretched to 6-0 in the fifth inning. Gordon led off with a walk, stole second, took third on a single by Swim, and then scored on Wade’s sacrifice fly to center.
Fort Myers added three insurance runs one inning later as they used a hit batter, two singles, two walks, another wild pitch, and an error to up their lead to 9-0.
Meanwhile, Gonsalves (2-1) was in complete control on the mound for the Miracle as he tossed five innings of no-hit baseball before Jupiter’s Brian Schales ruined the gem with a leadoff single to left in the sixth. Gonsalves finished the night allowing just two hits in six scoreless innings, walking just two while striking out six in lowering his ERA to 1.44 on the season.
The Miracle (10-8) face the Hammerheads (7-11) again at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
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Within one game of first place in the Florida State League’s South Division, the Fort Myers Miracle started a nine-game, three-city road trip at Jupiter Tuesday.
The Miracle play two more against the Hammerheads, three at Charlotte and three at Palm Beach before returning to Hammond Stadium on May 5 to face the St. Lucie Mets. The Mets (11-7) currently lead the division.
The Miracle started the road trip fresh off two shutout victories over the Stone Crabs last weekend.
Danny Santana aided the second consecutive shutout Sunday that propelled the Miracle 2-0 at Hammond Stadium.
On an MLB rehab assignment from the Minnesota Twins, Santana led off with a single up the middle off Charlotte starter Justin Marks. Santana stole second base as Marks (0-1) threw to first. Edgar Corcino then grounded out to short with Santana taking third. Alex Real singled to right for a two-out RBI.
Santana struck again in the sixth inning. Benton Moss came out of the Stone Crabs bullpen and worked a 2-2 count. Santana launched a pitch deep onto the right field boardwalk that was ruled a foul ball. On the next pitch, Santana blasted a hanging breaking ball 354 feet beyond the wall that ricocheted off the right field bar. The solo homer gave the Miracle a 2-0 lead.
Miracle starter Randy Rosario glided through 6 1/3 innings while scattering six hits, no runs and two strikeouts to lower his earned run average to 1.02.
Miracle 1, Stone Crabs 0: Corcino delivered the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning Saturday night to break a scoreless tie.
Three Miracle pitchers combined for the 11-inning shutout. Starter Felix Jorge turned in seven frames without allowing a run, scattering four hits, issuing one walk and fanning four. Trevor Hildenberger came out of the pen and delivered two shutout innings and Yorman Landa (2-1) finished the game with two scoreless innings.
Stone Crabs 4, Miracle 2: The Stone Crabs put a dent in the scoreboard in the second inning against Miracle starter Keaton Steele. Cristian Toribio singled up the middle with one out and remained at first when Jace Conrad lined out. With two gone, Grant Kay jumped on a first pitch from Steele (0-2) to send a long home run to left field for a 2-0 advantage.
The Miracle drew even with a pair of runs in the third. Steele surrendered the lead in the fifth with a throwing error. after a leadoff double to the left field corner, Steele whirled on a stolen base attempt to begin a rundown, but his throw to third went over Chris Paul and rolled into the Miracle dugout.
Steele lasted a season-high six innings and gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Hammerheads 4, Miracle 2: Miracle starter Tyler Jay (1-1) allowed two runs in the first inning, but settled in and did not allow a run for the next four innings and finished the night with three walks and three strikeouts.