FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle Win Fifth in a Row and Complete Sweep with Beresford Walk-Off Single

Published on May 5, 2011 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, FL (May 5th, 2011) - James Beresford capped off a third consecutive comeback victory and the fifth overall win in a row for the Miracle with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fort Myers completed the sweep of the Palm Beach, topping the Cardinals, 6-5, at Hammond Stadium on Thursday night.

Trailing by five runs after the fourth inning, the Miracle rallied to score four in the fifth off of Cardinal starter Joe Kelly. After issuing a walk to Steve Liddle, Kelly was tagged for three consecutive hits. Newly called-up catcher Josemil Pinto and Reggie Williams each singled to set the table for Jhonathan Goncalves. With the bases loaded, Goncalves served a 1-2 Kelly offering into right to score Liddle and Pinto.

Aaron Hicks drove in a run with a RBI groundout and with two out in the inning, Nick Romero singled to score Goncalves. Drawing to a one run deficit, Fort Myers received excellent efforts out of the bullpen from Brad Tippett and Jhonathan Garcia. Tippett made his first appearance of the season and tossed two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts. Garcia also threw two shutout innings and fanned four without giving up a hit.

Down a run in the eighth, the Miracle completed the full-scale comeback by pushing a one across. With two out, Liddle picked up a double on a misjudged pop-fly by Palm Beach second baseman Luis Mateo. Improving on his Miracle debut, Pinto crushed a 1-0 fastball from freshly called-on reliever Jorge Rondon into right field to send Liddle home and tie the game, 5-5.

Fort Myers wasn't finished touching up Rondon. In the ninth, Goncalves led off with a single into right. After Hicks was walked, Goncalves made a heads-up play to snare third. As James Beresford squared to bunt, Cardinal third baseman Zach Cox charged the plate. Beresford took a ball low and in, but third base was left wide open and Goncalves took the free base.

Beresford made Palm Beach's positional mistake payoff with a long single into left field on a Rondon 1-1 pitch and Goncalves strolled home.

Leading the Miracle with three hits, Beresford improved his team leading average to .344. Pinto, Williams, and Goncalves, the bottom third of the order, all registered two hits and combined for four runs scored and three runs driven in.

Pitching a perfect ninth, Dakota Watts (2-1) earned the win and Rondon (1-4) was handed the loss for the Cardinals. Edgar Ibarra started for Fort Myers and gave up five runs, all on homers, in four innings. Palm Beach got solo homeruns from Xavier Scruggs and Luis Mateo as well as a three-run shot from Travis Tartamella.

The Miracle (17-11) have now won five consecutive and sit two games behind Florida State League South leading St. Lucie by two games. A five game homestand continues on Friday night with Fort Myers hosting Jupiter (15-13). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

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Florida State League Stories from May 5, 2011


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