Miracle avoid sweep 6-2
The Fort Myers Miracle salvaged a game and avoided a sweep against the Palm Beach Cardinals with a 6-2 win Thursday at Hammond Stadium.
The Miracle forced a run across home plate in the bottom of the second inning off Cardinals starter Austin Gomber. Edgar Corcino led off with a single up the middle and Max Murphy followed with a chopper that bounced over the second base bag. With runners at first and second, Alex Real coaxed a walk from Gomber (4-3). Logan Wade then rolled into a 4-3 double-play ball, but Corcino crossed home to put the Miracle up 1-0.
Fort Myers starter Felix Jorge was brilliant over seven shutout frames in a duel with Gomber. Jorge threw 107 pitches, 72 strikes while striking out five, issuing two walks and scattering five hits. Jorge recorded 10-of-21 outs on the ground an lowered his ERA to 1.73.
Gomber hurled seven innings in a loss for the Cardinals despite surrendering just one run on seven hits and two walks while fanning six.
In the eighth, the Miracle sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs to gain some cushion. Cardinals reliever Kyle Grana walked the bases loaded to start the frame by putting Nick Gordon, Corcino and Chris Paul on board. Murphy then scalded a ground ball up the middle with the infield drawn in to the grass to bring in Gordon. Alex Real then plated Paul with a sac-fly to left.
Grana exited the game with runners at first and second in favor of Nicholas Frey. Wade faced Frey and sliced an RBI single down the line in left to bring in Corcino. Wade started a string of three consective RBI hits to cap the five-run inning. Tanner Witt picked up a run-scoring hit through the left side and Brian Navarreto stung a line drive single to center,.
After tossing a scoreless eighth, Yorman Landa stayed in the game to pitch the ninth. Landa gave up three straight hits to Blake Drake, Allen Staton and Oscar Mercado to load the bases. Steve Bean was the first recorded out when he hit a sac-fly to center to spoil the shutout bid. Landa then walked the next two hitters, including an RBI free pass to Casey Turgeon, before leaving the game.
Manager Jeff Smith brought in Brandon Peterson to inherit a bases loaded, one-out scenario with the tying run at home plate. Peterson got Darren Seferina to roll into a double play and end the game. Peterson earned his third save of the season.
The Miracle (25-23) begin a three-game series on the road with the Charlotte Stone Crabs Friday.