Miracle Tag Former Teammate, Sweep Crabs with 6-4 Win
August 19, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (August 19, 2015) - The Fort Myers Miracle completed a four-game sweep of the Charlotte Stone Crabs in a 6-4 win at Charlotte Sports Park on Wednesday night.
Facing former teammate Chih-Wei Hu on the mound for the Stone Crabs, the Miracle struck in the top of the second. With two outs, Marcus Knecht earned a walk. Logan Wade then dropped a single into right field and Knecht raced to third base. Jason Kanzler stepped up and ripped a 1-0 pitch into left field. Knecht scored on the ground rule double and the Miracle took a 1-0 lead.
The Miracle added to the advantage in the third inning with three runs off Hu (5-5). With one out, Hu walked Aderling Mejia. Josmil Pinto then grounded a base hit up the middle. With two on, Mitch Garver pulled a double down the third base line and Mejia scored. Hu rallied to strikeout Ryan Walker, but Knecht lined a two-out, two-run single to center and boosted the Miracle lead to 4-0.
Hu exited the game after four innings and allowing for runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
Charlotte brought in Colton Reavis out of the bullpen in the fifth and the Miracle worked another two-out rally. Garver picked up his second double of the game down the third base line. Walker the stroked a triple into right and Garver crossed home, 5-0.
In the sixth, the Miracle jumped on Crabs reliever Kyle McKenzie. Logan Wade yanked a triple into the right field corner. Kanzler followed with a single up the middle to drive in Wade, 6-0. After Zack Granite grounded out to first, the Charlotte Sports Park groundscrew began to roll the tarp onto the field.
Miracle starter Luke Westphal went five shutout frames before the rain delay. Westphal (4-4) allowed just two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
When play resumed, the Stone Crabs scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth off Miracle reliever Jake Reed. Mike Marjama earned an RBI on a sacrifice fly and Maxx Tissenbaum knocked in a run with a bloop single, 6-2.
Zack Jones entered for the Miracle in the seventh and struck out the side, but gave up two runs in the eighth. Trevor Hildenberger retired the final five outs to record his second save with the Miracle.
The Miracle (69-55, 31-23) continue on the road to McKechnie Field on Thursday to open up a three-game set with the Bradenton Marauders. Fans can listen to the action on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman.
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Florida State League Stories from August 19, 2015
- Miracle Sweep Stone Crabs with 6-4 Win - Charlotte Stone Crabs
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- Marauders' Comeback Falls Short - Bradenton Marauders
- Sabol Crushes Walk-Off HR to Lift Mets to 6-5 Win - St. Lucie Mets
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