Suchy’s three-run home run sparks Marauders past Miracle
FORT MYERS – The Bradenton Marauders defeated the Fort Myers Miracle, 6-2, at Hammond Stadium on Tuesday night.
Michael Suchy’s three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Marauders. The Miracle led 2-1 behind Kohl Stewart’s six innings of strong pitching. Stewart (2-1) had given up an RBI hit to Suchy in the third, but struck out three. Chase Simpson began the seventh with a single to right. After striking out Connor Joe, Stewart surrendered a single to Elvis Escobar.
Miracle manager Jeff Smith went to the bullpen and brought in Raul Fernadez. After working a 1-2 count, Suchy sent a drive into the Sunharvest Citrus Lawn in left field for a three-run homer and a 4-2 Marauders lead. Stewart’s night closed after 6.1 innings with three runs, two earned, allowed on seven hits.
Bradenton added two insurance runs in the ninth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Jordan Luplow knocked in a pair with a single up the middle off Miracle reliever Yorman Landa, 6-2.
Henry Hirsch earned the win out of the Marauders pen. Hirsch (1-1) went two innings with one strikeout. The Marauder bullpen combined for five shutout innings and only one hit allowed from the trio of Hirsch, Junior Lopez and Luis Heredia.
Fort Myers had opened the scoring in the second without a hit off Marauders starter Stephen Tarpley. With one out, Logan Wade reached second base on a throwing error by Joe at third base. Alex Real then coaxed a walk from Tarpley and Max Murphy was also issued a base on balls. With the bases loaded, Brian Navarreto lifted a fly ball into center field deep enough to score Wade on a sacrifice fly, 1-0.
After Suchy tied the game in the third, the Miracle regained a lead in the bottom of the sixth. Trey Vavra began the frame with a double into the left field corner. Wade’s ground out to second moved Vavra to third base, but Real struck out.
Murphy delivered an RBI hit with an opposite field hit into right, 2-1.
The Miracle (18-14) pack up and head to McKechnie Field for the third game of a set of four with the Marauders (15-16). Tyler Jay (2-2) gets the nod for the Miracle against Bradenton starter Colten Brewer.
Miracle 10, Marauders 6: Fort Myers jumped out to a 10-0 lead Monday and held off Bradenton’s late rally.
The Miracle wasted little time getting started, scoring twice in the first inning. Tanner Witt walked to start the game and stole second. Edgar Corcino followed with a double to right to score Witt. Corcino went to third on a single by Chris Paul, then scored on Tanner Vavra’s double-play grounder.
The Miracle doubled their advantage in the fourth. Logan Wade led off with an infield single, stole second one out later, and took third on Max Murphy’s single. Kevin Garcia then grounded out to first, plating Wade. Chad Christensen reached on a throwing error and the Miracle’s lead was 4-0.
The lead became 9-0 after a five-run fifth. Tanner Vavra’s solo home run, his third of the season, led off the sixth to make it 10-0.
Stephen Gonsalves (4-1) tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory, allowing just two hits while walking four and striking out eight.
Mets 15, Miracle 5: St. Lucie bombarded Fort Myers with 15 runs on 16 hits en route to a lopsided win Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.
The Mets pounced on Miracle starter Randy Rosario for four runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer by Michael Katz.
The Mets continued the onslaught in the third with a six-run frame.
The Miracle (17-13) got on the board with one run in the third, two runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh.
The Miracle held onto first place by a half-game over the Mets heading into Monday’s schedule of games.
Miracle 2, Mets 1: Felix Jorge tossed seven innings to guide Fort Myers past St. Lucie Friday at Hammond Stadium.
The Miracle (17-12) scored in the first inning as Sean Miller led off with a base hit against Mets starter and former FGCU pitcher Ricky Knapp. A balk moved Miller to second ahead of a walk to Edgar Corcino. Alex Swim’s sharp grounder to first erased Corcino at second on a fielder’s choice. Trey Vavra drove in the run with an RBI single through the right side.
After the Mets tied the game in the second, a pitcher’s duel ensued until the seventh. Kevin Garcia doubled into the right-center field gap and took third when the throw from right was off line. Garcia scored on Tanner Witt’s sacrifice fly to right.