FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Mejia Drives Miracle Offense in 8-4 Victory over Mets

August 10, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 10, 2015) - The Fort Myers Miracle scored eight runs on 14 hits in an 8-4 win over the St. Lucie Mets on Monday night at Tradition Field.

The Mets struck first in the bottom of the second. With one out, Miracle starter Mat Batts walked Stefan Sabol. Ahmed Rosario then hit a high chopper through the left side to put runners at first and second. Jhoan Urena pulled a ground ball to the shortstop for a fielder's choice and Ryan Walker retired Rosario at second. With two outs and runners on the corners, Colton Plaia singled on a 1-2 pitch to put the Mets up 1-0.

In the third, the Miracle took advantage of a wild inning from Mets starter Miller Diaz. Chad Christensen kick-started the frame with a one-out double into right center and then advanced to third on a ground out from Tanner Vavra. Diaz (5-10) then lost his command and loaded the bases with a pair of free passes to Walker and Aderling Mejia. Then, Diaz struck Mitch Garver with the first pitch of the at-bat to plate a run and tied the game. Marcus Knecht stepped up to the dish, but Diaz awkwardly stepped off the mound and was called for a balk. Walker trotted home and the Miracle took a 2-1 lead.

St. Lucie rallied in the third. Batts (6-3) led off by plunking Jeff McNeil. David Wright, on MLB rehabilitation from New York, looped a single into left center and McNeil went first to third. Dominic Smith then scorched a one-hopper to second base. Mejia grabbed the ball on the backhand and began a 4-6-3 double play while McNeil scored to even the game, 2-2.

Wasting no time recapturing the advantage, the Miracle tallied three runs in the fourth against Diaz and all with two outs. After retiring the first two batters, Zack Granite singled to right center then stole second base. Christensen earned a walk. Vavra then hooked a 2-2 pitch into left to bring in Granite and regain the Miracle lead. With runners on second and third, Walker laid down a bunt single and Christensen raced home. Mejia followed with an RBI base hit up the middle and extended the Miracle advantage to 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Mets responded with a pair of runs off Batts. A one-out walk to Wright was followed by a single from Smith and the Mets put runners on the corners. Victor Cruzado then weakly rolled out to first, but Wright scored. Sabol then lined a base hit to center field and Smith crossed home to slice the Miracle lead to 5-4.

Batts went five innings and gave up four runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Diaz exited the game after just 3.2 innings and allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout.

The Miracle tagged the Mets bullpen in the sixth. Another two-out rally, Walker served a single to center. Mejia then worked a full count off St. Lucie reliever Jimmy Duff before placing a base hit into center field and bringing in Walker, 6-4.

David Roseboom entered out of the Mets bullpen in the seventh and held the Miracle off the board, but Fort Myers pushed across two runs in the eighth. Vavra led off with a double down the third base line. After Walker failed to put down a bunt with two strikes for the first out, Mejia lined a single down the right field line and Vavra rounded third to score. Mejia was caught stealing, but Garver reached on an infield hit to extend the inning.

Mets manager Luis Rojas brought in reliever Robby Coles. On the first pitch from Coles, Marcus Knecht smashed a triple into right center and Garver came around from first base to cap off the Miracle offense, 8-4.

Mejia finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBI. Vavra was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. The Miracle scored six of the eight runs with two outs and eight of the nine batters in the order registered at least one hit.

The duo of Jake Reed and Nick Burdi combined to face the minimum over the final four innings out of the Miracle bullpen. Reed gave up one hit and struck out one in the sixth and seventh. Burdi fanned three in a pair of perfect innings to close out the game.

For the Mets, Wright finished the evening 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.

The Miracle (62-53, 24-21) continue the series in Port St. Lucie on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. against the Mets (58-55, 23-20). Wright is expected to play five innings at third base for St. Lucie. Fort Myers will be sending out Stephen Gonsalves (5-1) against Rafael Montero (0-0) for the Mets on an MLB rehabilitation stint. Fans can listen to the broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman.

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Florida State League Stories from August 10, 2015


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