FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle Offense Comes Through in Clutch for 8-6 Come From Behind Victory

Published on April 27, 2006 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


CLEARWATER, FL (April 27, 2006) - A couple of Fort Myers Miracle hitters, batting well below the Mendoza Line, found their stroke on Thursday night at Bright House Networks Field and helped the Miracle come from behind and defeat the Clearwater Threshers 8-6.

Kyle Geiger, hitting .156 entering play, and Luke Hughes, hitting .115, came through in the clutch in the ninth inning. With the score tied at six, Jeremy Pickrel led off with a single to right. Erold Andrus, attempting to sacrifice, was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Johnny Woodard's grounder to second moved the runners up 90 feet. Geiger then ripped a two strike pitch into right field for a base hit that scored Pickrel. Geiger finished the night 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Hughes then followed with an RBI single to center. He finished the night 3-4 with an RBI.

Tim Lahey pitched the final 2.1 innings allowing just one walk to earn his third victory of the season and send the Miracle to 12-8 on the season.

The Miracle took the lead in the second when Pickrel reached on an infield single. He stole second and scored on an RBI double by Andrus. Pickrel was 2-2 with two runs scored and two walks, while Andrus was 2-3 with a double, triple, two RBI and a run scored.

The lead didn't last long as the Threshers scored two in the third on a two run homer from Tuffy Gosewisch, the first of his career. They tacked on two more in the fourth on an RBI ground out by JJ Johnson and an RBI double by Gosewisch.

The Miracle, who had three hits on Wednesday, managed just two hits through the first five innings on Thursday. All that changed in the sixth. They exploded for five runs on five hits. Geiger and Hughes started off with singles. Alexi Casilla extended his hitting streak to 10 games and 19 of 20 with an RBI double to right. Jacob Barrack replaced Thresher starter Andy Baldwin and after getting a strikeout, everything unraveled for Barrack. He walked Trevor Plouffe and Garrett Guzman crushed a 3-0 pitch over the right-center field wall, his second of the season, to put the Miracle on top 5-4. Pickrel followed with a walk and Andrus tripled him home.

As quickly as the Miracle took the lead, they gave it back in the bottom of the inning. Brandon Florence started the inning with a single to center. One out later Johnson doubled him to third. Gosewich struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but Geiger's throw to first pulled Woodard off the bag and Gosewich reached on the error. Matt Thayer's grounder to Plouffe at short went under his glove and it allowed two runs to score and tie the game at six, which set up the heroics in the ninth for Geiger and Hughes.

The same two teams meet Friday night at Bright House Networks Field at 7:05 p.m. The Miracle send RHP Matt Garza (3-0, 0.49) to the hill against Thresher RHP Zach Segovia (3-1, 2.93).

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Florida State League Stories from April 27, 2006


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