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Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Stewart, Gonsalves Each Toss Complete Games in Doubleheader Sweep

August 18, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 18, 2015) - The Fort Myers Miracle took both games of a doubleheader over the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 4-1 and 5-2, at Hammond Stadium on Tuesday evening.

In game one, Stephen Gonsalves was brilliant over seven innings while allowing just one run on four hits. Gonsalves (6-1) struck out seven and walked just one.

The Miracle offense kicked into gear in the fourth inning when Josmil Pinto loudly snapped a scoreless tie. On a 3-2 pitch from Stone Crabs starter Buddy Borden, Pinto launched a 425-foot home run to center field. The solo blast for Pinto was his first homer of the season and in a Miracle jersey since 2012.

Charlotte answered in the top of the fifth. Jace Conrad doubled into center field. Gonsalves then fanned Yoel Araujo for the first out, but Armando Araiza singled to put runners on the corners. Braxton Lee then hit a grounder to second. Ryan Walker threw out Lee at first, but Conrad scored to tie the game, 1-1.

Answering back in the fifth, Walker got the Miracle started with a base hit up the middle. Logan Wade then doubled down the first base line and Walker advanced to third. Borden (8-7) walked Jason Kanzler intentionally to load the bases. After Zack Granite struck out, Tanner Vavra poked a two-run single through the right side to drive in a pair of runs. Araujo grabbed the ball in right field and fire home. The ball bounced away from Araiza as Wade slid in for the second run. Kanzler, at third base, realized the ball was up the line and sprinted home to put the Miracle up 4-1.

Gonsalves closed out the game by retiring the last four in a row.

In game two, the Stone Crabs took the lead with a pair of runs in the third. Hector Guevara led off with a base hit to left and Kean Wong sacrifice bunted him to second. Mike Marjama then yanked a 2-1 pitch from Miracle starter Kohl Stewart down the left field line for an RBI double. Granden Goetzman followed with a chopped double to drive in Marjama, 2-0.

The Miracle stormed back in the bottom of the third against Crabs starter Greg Harris. Michael Quesada dropped a base hit into right field. Vavra then pulled a single through the left side. Engelb Vielma came to the plate and hit a high chopper to second base. Wong gloved and flipped to second for the out, but Guevara's turn to first sailed past first base. Vielma advanced to second and Quesada to third.

Aderling Mejia then lifted a 2-2 pitch into right field. Justin Williams made the catch and Quesada tagged to score. As Quesada was coming home, Vielma moved from second to third. Williams' throw missed the target and Vielma popped up after a slide at third base and raced home, 2-2.

In the fifth, the Miracle took the lead with Crabs reliever Steve Ascher on the mound. Vavra coaxed a lead-off walk from Ascher (7-3) and was sacrifice bunted to second by Vielma. Aderling Mejia then lofted a double into right field and Vavra scored, 3-2.

The Miracle added insurance in the sixth with a pair of runs. Marcus Knecht started with a broken bat single to center and stole second base. Chad Christensen then bunted Knecht to third. After a walk to Granite, Charlotte reliever Josh Kimborowicz threw a wild pitch with Quesada at the plate. Knecht scored. Granite was attempting to steal second and was able to scoot to third base. Quesada popped up for the second out, but Vavra came through again. On a 1-1 pitch, Vavra laid down a bunt single. Granite sped home and Vavra beat out the throw from Kimborowicz, 5-2.

Stewart (6-7), after allowing two runs in the third, went into lockdown mode. After inducing a double play to exit the third, Stewart proceeded to retire the final 13 hitters consecutively en route to the complete game. Over seven innings, Stewart gave up two runs on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

The Miracle (68-55, 30-23) wrap up the series with the Stone Crabs (63-56, 18-31) at Charlotte Sports Park on Wednesday evening. Luke Westphal (3-4) makes the start for the Miracle against former teammate Chih-Wei Hu (5-4), who was traded to the Tampa Bay organization in July. Fans can listen to the broadcast by visiting www.miraclebaseball.com and tuning into the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman.

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