FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle Snap Losing Streak with 9-4 Win over Threshers

Published on July 23, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


CLEARWATER, FL - The offense punched out 11 hits, and three pitchers combined to strike out 12 batters, as the Fort Myers Miracle defeated the Clearwater Threshers 9-4 on Saturday night at Bright House Field. The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Miracle.

Fort Myers jumped out on top in the third inning off of Threshers starter Ranfi Casimiro. A.J. Murray led off the inning with a line single to left, and went to third on a double by T.J. White. Nick Gordon then grounded out to second, scoring Murray, and the Miracle led 1-0.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Clearwater tied it up in the bottom of the frame as a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt, a single, and a fielder's choice produced the game-tying run.

Fort Myers answered right back in the top of the fourth, taking control of the game by scoring five times. Trey Vavra led off the inning with a walk, and after Joe Maloney flied out, Alex Perez grounded a single to right, sending Vavra to third. Chris Paul was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Murray then fouled out for the second out of the inning, before White delivered a single to right field on a 1-2 pitch to score Vavra and Perez to make the score 3-1. Gordon then ripped his third homerun of the season, a three-run shot to right-center field, to put the visitors on top 6-1.

A two-run homer by the Threshers' Derek Campbell in the bottom of the fourth cut the advantage to 6-3, but the Miracle got those two runs right back in the fifth off reliever Joey DeNato. Singles by LaMonte Wade and Vavra plus a walk to Maloney loaded the bases, and Perez came through with a single to center to score Wade. One out later, Murray was hit by a pitch, forcing in Vavra, and the lead was back to five at 8-3.

The Miracle scored their final run of the night in the eighth inning on Wade's one-out RBI double to left field.

Fernando Romero (3-1) picked up the win for the Miracle as he allowed four hits and three runs in seven innings of work, walking just one and striking out eight. John Curtiss pitched a scoreless eighth inning, striking out two, and Daniel Bard finished things up, and despite allowing a ninth-inning run, also struck out two batters. Casimiro (7-7) suffered the loss for the Threshers, allowing six hits and six runs in his four innings of work.

The Miracle (50-49, 16-14) and the Threshers (58-40, 19-11) will meet again at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Bright House Field in the final game of this four-game series. Miles Nordgren (0-2) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Miracle, and he will be opposed by John Richy (2-4) for Clearwater. The game will not be broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com, but fans can listen to Kirsten Karbach and Josh Appel on the Threshers online broadcast feed.

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Florida State League Stories from July 23, 2016


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