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 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Shoulders' Walk-Off Grand Slam Ends 17 Inning Marathon

July 19, 2014 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


DAYTONA, Fla. - Rock Shoulders hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 17th inning early Saturday morning to give the Daytona Cubs an 11-7 comeback win over the Fort Myers Miracle in a game that began on Friday evening at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Tied 7-7 for eight and a half extra innings, the Cubs picked up a lead-off single from Billy McKinney into left center field off Miracle reliever Brian Gilbert. Gioskar Amaya laid down a sacrifice bunt to moved McKinney to second. Wes Darvill singled through the left side to put runners on the corners. Gilbert then issued an intentional walk to Marco Hernandez to load the bases. On an 0-2 pitch, Shoulders hit a towering drive down the right field line to clear the bases and complete a comeback for the Cubs.

The Miracle offense jumped on Cubs starter Rob Zastryzny in the first inning with three runs. Byron Buxton led off with a single up the middle on the first pitch of the game. Then, Jorge Polanco rolled a base hit down the third base line to put runners at first and second. On a 1-1 pitch from Zastryzny, Nate Roberts crushed a double into right center to clear the bases and give Fort Myers a two-run lead.

Dalton Hicks then stepped up and poked a double down the left field line to plate Roberts and complete a three-run inning.

Daytona picked up a run in the bottom of the first off Miracle starter Brett Lee. With bases loaded and two out, Bijan Rademacher laced a single up the middle to get the Cubs on the board, 3-1.

In the second, the Miracle continued to hit Zastryzny hard. Max Kepler led off with a double into left. Tyler Grimes laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Kepler to third. Buxton stepped up and took the first pitch from Zastryzny to left for a two-run homer, 5-1. His third home run this season, Buxton has now cleared the fence in back-to-back games.

Lee went five innings in a no decision allowing just the one run on four hits with a season-high six walks.

Fort Myers added two more runs to the advantage in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Buxton lined a single into left field off Cubs reliever Justin Amlung. Then, on a 1-2 pitch, Jorge Polanco launched a two-run homer to deep right field to put the Miracle up 7-1.

The Cubs got a run in the sixth on a RBI single from Darvill and then three in the seventh off Miracle reliever Todd Van Steensel to cut the Fort Myers lead to 7-5.

In the eighth, Kyle Schwarber hit a solo shot to right field off Miracle reliever Madison Boer to bring the Cubs to a one-run deficit.

The Miracle turned to closer Tyler Jones in the ninth, but Wilson Contreras led off with a solo homer to tie the game, 7-7. Contreras hit a 1-2 pitch that just barely cleared the wall in left field.

Daytona and Fort Myers then remained deadlocked at 7-7 for the next seven innings. The Miracle stranded 10 runners in the extra frames including the bases loaded in the top of the 17th.

Buxton led off with an infield hit and moved to second on a Polanco base hit to left. Mike Gonzales then reached on an error by Amaya at second to put a Miracle baserunner at every bag. Cubs reliever Yao-Lin Wang then proceeded to strike out Hicks, Walker and Goodrum to retire the side in the 17th and leave the bases loaded. Wang's (2-5) clutch pitching set the stage for Shoulders' heroics.

The Miracle set season-highs for an individual game in hits (23), strikeouts at the plate (23), men left on base (20) and double plays (5). The game began at 7:04 p.m. on Friday night and ended at 12:45 a.m. on Saturday morning, spanning five hours and 41 minutes.

The Cubs and Miracle combined for 18 runs, 41 hits, 34 left on base and 39 strikeouts. Polanco finished the game 5-for-8 with a homer, two runs and two RBI. Buxton was 4-for-6 with a homer, three runs and two RBI. All nine hitters in Fort Myers lineup picked up a hit.

Fort Myers used eight men out of the bullpen and nine pitchers overall.

The Miracle (58-37, 17-9) return to Jackie Robinson Ballpark for the series finale against the Cubs (42-52, 16-10) on Saturday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Fans can listen to every pitch on www.miraclebaseball.com with the 'Voice of the Miracle' Brice Zimmerman. The Head Quarters pregame show begins at 6:40 p.m.


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