Miracle, Berrios Steamroll Crabs, 12-1
June 23, 2014 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (June 23, 2014) - The Fort Myers Miracle offense erupted for a 12-run, 13-hit blowout of the Charlotte Stone Crabs, 12-1, at Charlotte Sports Park on Monday evening.
The Miracle opened the scoring in the top of the first inning against Stone Crabs starter Blake Snell. Jorge Polanco extended his hitting streak to eight games with a lead-off single into left field. Niko Goodrum reach on a five-pitch walk. Then, Nate Roberts roped a hanging breaking ball through the right side to score Polanco, 1-0.
With runners and second and third and no outs, Snell (1-4) rallied to strikeout Travis Harrison and retired Dalton Hicks on a soft liner to short. Tyler Grimes then delivered a two-out, two-run double. On an 0-1 count, Grimes hit a rocket that split the left center gap to score Polanco and Roberts, 3-0.
The Miracle opened up the game in the third inning with five runs off Snell. Goodrum led off with a roller through the left side. After swiping second, Goodrum strolled home on a looping RBI hit up the middle from Roberts. After Harrison flew out to center, Hicks earned a walk and Grimes was struck by a pitch to load the bases. On an 0-2 count, Max Kepler smoked a line drive into right field to plate two. The ball was misplayed by right fielder Marty Gantt allowing Grimes to score as the third run on the play.
Up 7-0, Snell was chased from the game and reliever Casey Weathers took over. Jairo Rodriguez promptly doubled into right center to bring in Kepler and Polanco drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, 9-0.
The Stone Crabs pushed across a run in the third with a pair of triples from Marty Gantt and Julian Ridings. Fort Myers got the run right back with a sacrifice fly from Hicks in the top of the fourth, 10-1.
The onslaught continued in the top of the fifth with two more runs courtesy of a two-run single by Goodrum.
Roberts finished 4-for-5 with three doubles, three runs scored and two RBI. The top three spots in the order combined to go 8-for-14 with seven runs and five RBI. Polanco picked up his fifth consecutive multi-hit game going 2-for-5 with two runs and a run knocked in.
Jose Berrios started for the Miracle and earned his eighth win of the season with a quality start. Berrios (8-2) went six innings and yielded just one run on five hits with eight strikeouts.
Brian Gilbert tossed a scoreless seventh despite allowing three hits and Brandon Petersen pitched the final two innings without giving up a run.
Snell took the loss for the Crabs and his evening ended after 2.1 innings with eight runs charged on six hits. Casey Weathers gave up four runs out of the Charlotte bullpen.
The Miracle (44-30, 3-2) bid for the series sweep on Tuesday morning against the Stone Crabs (31-37, 0-5). First pitch is set for 10 a.m. D.J. Baxendale (1-1, 3.94) is set to toe the rubber for the Miracle against Austin Pruitt (3-4, 4.35) for Charlotte.
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