FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle Stun Crabs, 5-4, in 15 Inning Walk-Off

Published on June 26, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 26, 2015) - Marcus Knecht's patience paid off with a bases loaded walk to end a 15-inning marathon with a 5-4 walk-off win for the Fort Myers Miracle over the Charlotte Stone Crabs at Hammond Stadium on Friday evening.

Playing in a 19th extra inning game this season, the Miracle ended a four hour, 29-minute affair with a 3-1 pitch high and inside. After four scoreless frames from Eduar Quinonez in extra frames for the Crabs bullpen, Charlotte manager Michael Johns went to Josh Kimborowicz in the bottom of the 15th.

Zack Granite greeted Kimborowicz (1-1) with a single up the middle. Aderling Mejia then laid down a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher. Kimborowicz threw wildly to first and down the right field line. Granite moved up to third and Mejia to second. The Stone Crabs decided to intentionally walk Alex Swim and load the bases with no outs. Knecht then patiently waited on a base on balls on five pitches to force in the game-winning run. Knecht was mobbed by teammates at second base.

The Miracle jumped out to a three-run lead in the first. After loading the bases against Charlotte starter Steve Ascher, Mitch Garver drove a first pitch into deep center field for a bases clearing double, 3-0.

Charlotte started chipping away in the fifth with a solo home run from Mike Marjama off Miracle starter Chih-Wei Hu. Then, the Crabs plated two in the fifth to tie the game. After Hu struck out Armando Araiza to start the inning, Braxton Lee doubled into left field and scored two pitches later on a base hit into left center from former Major League All-Star Grady Sizemore. A double by MLB rehabber Tim Beckham put runners at second and third and Willy Adames drove in Sizemore with a ground out to short to tie the game, 3-3.

Hu went six innings in a no decision and tied a season-high with 10 strikeouts. The three runs allowed by Hu were earned on eight hits.

In the seventh, the Crabs took the lead. Lee coaxed a lead-off walk out of Miracle reliever Brian Gilbert. Sizemore then roped an 0-1 pitch into the right field corner to bring in Lee and give Charlotte a one-run lead, 4-3.

John Ames pitched a perfect eighth for the Stone Crabs and remained on for the ninth. Ames loaded the bases with a hit batter, single from Bryan Haar and a fielder's choice allowing Chad Christensen to reach. With no outs, the Logan Wade and Engelb Vielma hit into back-to-back force plays at home plate with grounders to Beckham at second. The bases were still loaded when Granite stepped up. On a 1-1 pitch, Granite served a line drive into shallow left center field for a single. Christensen scored, but Lee gunned down Wade as the near winning run to force extra frames.

The Miracle bullpen combined to allow just one run in nine innings of work, including six extra frames. Minnesota Twins first round selection in 2016, Tyler Jay made his Miracle debut with a scoreless inning and one strikeout. Todd Van Steensel hurled a pair of innings without giving up a run and Alex Muren worked out of multiple jams in a scoreless three frames.

Matt Summers picked up the win. Summers (2-1) retired all six he faced and recorded one strikeout.

Now 11-8 in a team record 19 extra inning games this season, the Miracle won a ninth consecutive game dating back to Monday, June 15. Fort Myers has earned victories in 15 of the last 17 games.

The Miracle (38-32, 2-0) now embark on a seven-game road trip with a four-game series with the Dunedin Blue Jays beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night from Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Fans can listen to every pitch on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman.

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Florida State League Stories from June 26, 2015


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