FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Miracle Win Seventh in a Row, Sweep Cardinals with 4-3 Victory

Published on June 24, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 24, 2015) - The Fort Myers Miracle completed a three-game sweep with a walk-off, extra inning 4-3 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals in front of 2,980 screaming children at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The Miracle offense scored early on Cardinals starter Luke Weaver with an unearned run pushed across in the first inning. Jason Kanzler led off with a single up the middle. After a fly out to right from Ryan Walker, Alex Swim reached on an error by first basman Jake Gronsky and Kanzler moved up to second base. Marcus Knecht lined out to left for the second out, but Bryan Haar delivered an RBI single to give the Miracle a 1-0 advantage.

In the second, the Cardinals took the lead with a pair of runs off Miracle starter Stephen Gonsalves. David Washington started the inning with a base hit up the middle and a walk to Jose Gonzalez put two Cardinals on base. Casey Turgeon executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. On a 3-2 pitch, Michael Massi put the Cardinals ahead with a two-run single into center field, 2-1.

Gonsalves ended his day after five innings with a no decision. Walking four and striking out two, Gonsalves allowed three hits and two runs.

Todd Van Steensel took over out of the Miracle pen in the sixth and surrendered a run. Gonzalez picked up a lead-off single. Turgeon lined out to right, but Massi walked. Van Steensel then wheeled around a picked off Gonzalez at second base. Jimmy Bosco kept the inning alive for the Cardinals with a single into right and Blake Drake knocked in a run with a base hit through the left side, 3-1.

The Miracle battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. Swim reached on a one-out single up the middle off Weaver and then Knecht coaxed a walk. Haar flew out to left deep enough for Swim to advance to third. After a wild pitch moved Knecht to second, Chad Christensen hammered a 2-2 pitch over Drake's head in center field to score a pair of runs and tie the game, 3-3.

Going into extra innings for a team record 18th time this season, the Miracle scored the game-winner in the bottom of the eleventh. Zack Granite led off with a double down the left field line off Cardinals reliever Chris Perry and then Tanner Vavra sacrificed him over to third. Perry (1-3) struck out Kanzler, but then went to a full count on Walker. The 3-2 pitch bounced in the dirt and to the backstop and Granite sped home to give the Miracle a 4-3 walk-off win

Brian Gilbert picked up the victory after a scoreless top of the eleventh. Gilbert (2-2) struck out two and the middle infield turned a double play.

The Miracle have now won seven in a row and 13 of the last 15 games to finish the first half with a 38-32 record. Fort Myers' record in extra inning games this season is 10-8. The previous team record of 17 extra inning games in a single season was set in 1996 and 2002.

The second half begins on Thursday night at Charlotte Sport Park as the Miracle (38-32) visit the Charlotte Stone Crabs for a 7 p.m. Fans can listen to the action on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman. The MiracleBaseball.com pregame show begins at 6:40 p.m.

Check out the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Statistics

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



Florida State League Stories from June 24, 2015


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