FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle increase lead in division with double header sweep of Threshers

Published on August 23, 2006 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, FL (August 23, 2006) - With a big six game road trip staring them in the face the Fort Myers Miracle knew they needed to take care of business against a hard charging Clearwater Thresher club at home. After hanging on for a 6-5 win in game one the Miracle needed to rally late in game two for a 4-3 victory and earned a double header sweep of the Threshers. They have now opened up a 1.5 game lead on the Tampa Yankees, who beat the Sarasota Reds 5-3 and a 3.5 game lead on the Threshers with 11 games to go.

In game two the Miracle trailed 2-1 in the sixth inning. Trevor Plouffe led off with a single to right off of reliever Brian Reed. David Winfree followed with a single to left which put runners at first and second. Brock Peterson's fielders choice put runners at the corners and Deacon Burns tied the game with a sac fly to right. Peterson made a heads up play and tagged up and advanced to second. Luke Hughes then lined a double just inside the left field line which plated Peterson and gave the Miracle a 3-2 lead. Justin Arneson followed with an RBI single and the Miracle got a big inning late for the second straight night to defeat the Threshers.

Miracle starter Jeff Manship pitched well. He gave up two runs in the first on an RBI double by Mike Costanzo and an RBI single by Tim Moss. That was all he allowed going 4.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out five.

The Miracle answered with one in the bottom of the inning when Plouffe single and Winfree roped an RBI double to right-center.

The Miracle got a scare in game one and needed to hold off the Threshers in the last inning. With the Miracle up 6-2 in the seventh Tim Lahey got the first out of the inning, but then walked the ninth batter in the order, Tuffy Gosewisch. Brian Burgamy followed with a single and Greg Golson knocked in Gosewish with a single of his own to make it 6-3. Lahey left the game for Chris Schutt. Costanzo lined a single to right which loaded the bases. Brandon Florence's grounder to short went off of Plouffe's glove for an error and scored Burgamy to make it 6-4. Schutt struck out Moss, but forced in a run when he walked Bryan Hansen. Schutt finished the game off striking out J.J. Johnson on a 3-2 slider and earned his eighth save.

The Miracle built a big lead which, it turned out, they needed. In the first Plouffe roped a one out double off of Julio De La Cruz, who had thrown a no-hitter in his last start. Winfree followed with an RBI double to put the Miracle up 1-0.

The Miracle put up four in the second when Arneson led off with a double. One out later J.R. Taylor reached on an infield single. Brandon Roberts followed with an RBI single to center to give the Miracle a 2-0 lead. Two batters later Winfree blasted a three run homer to left, his 11th of the season, to give the Miracle a 5-0 lead.

The Miracle scored their final run in the fifth when Peterson led off with a double. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a sac fly from Steve Tolleson.

Miracle starter Anthony Swarzak put in another solid performance going 5.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out five and earned his 10th win of the season. Swarzak gave up back-to-back singles with two outs in the first and didn't give up another hit until two were out in the sixth, which drove in a run because of his two walks with one out.

The Miracle get Thursday off and head out on a six game road trip beginning with a three game series on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. against the Lakeland Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Miracle will send RHP Kyle Waldrop (3-1, 3.13) to the mound

Check out the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Florida State League Stories from August 23, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central