FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Sarasota Keeps Miracle Scoreless for Second Straight Game

Published on July 9, 2009 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


For the second consecutive contest the Miracle came up empty with runners in scoring position. So far in the series Fort Myers is 1- for-12 but with no runs scored as Sarasota took Thursday's game by a final score of 1-0. The Reds are only the second team to shut out the Miracle in consecutive games this season as they joined Brevard County.

Steve Hirschfeld (2-4) turned in a great effort after allowing nine earned runs in his last two starts. He only allowed one unearned run on a sacrifice fly from Denis Phipps in the sixth inning. The right- hander left after seven having allowed that one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Rafael Gonzalez (2-3), meanwhile, had arguably his best start of the season. The Reds' righty went seven full innings with seven hits, no runs, two walks, and two strikeouts.

Mace Thurman recorded his first save of the season for the victorious Reds, which have won three straight contests against the first-place Miracle dating back to the first half of the year.

Fort Myers had two chances to tie or take the lead in the late innings. In the seventh, Mark Dolenc drilled a liner into left with two outs and Joe Benson on second. As left fielder Justin Reed scooped it up, manager Jeff Smith sent Benson in to home plate, but Reed came up with a perfect throw to end the inning.

In the ninth, Deibinson Romero singled to center on the first pitch and Chris Cates entered as a pinch runner. Chris Parmelee grounded to second, moving Cates to second. Benson then hustled down the line to beat out an infield single to the shortstop. With runners at first and second, Estarlin de los Santos rapped a grounder to shortstop for the game-ending double play.

The Miracle will try to salvage the final game of the series with Michael Tarsi's Fort Myers debut on Friday at 7:05 p.m. Tarsi, who was promoted from Beloit with a 4-1 record and 1.84 ERA, will oppose fellow left-hander Travis Webb (5-6, 3.74) at Hammond Stadium.

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Florida State League Stories from July 9, 2009


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