FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Walker Sends Miracle to 6-5 Walk-Off Win over Mets

Published on August 6, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 6, 2015) - Ryan Walker delivered a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Fort Myers Miracle over the St. Lucie Mets, 6-5, at Hammond Stadium on Thursday night.

Holding a 5-1 lead entering the eighth inning, the Miracle allowed the Mets to get back into the game. In the top of the eighth, Jeff McNeill led off with a double against Miracle reliever Corey Williams. Matt Oberste then earned a walk. Williams induced a 4-6-3 double play out of Dominic Smith, but walked Victor Cruzado to put runners on the corners.

Williams exited in favor of Todd Van Steensel out of the Miracle pen. With his first pitch, Van Steensel threw a slider in the dirt that bounced by catcher Michael Quesada and McNeill scored from third. Maikis De La Cruz then lofted a broken bat single into center to bring in Cruzado from second, 5-3.

Van Steensel got out of the eighth with no further damage, but struggled in the ninth. After retiring the first St. Lucie batter, McNeill lined a single through the left side. Then, Oberste hit a towering home run to left field on a first pitch slider. The two-run shot tied the game, 5-5. Van Steensel then struck out Smith, but walked Cruzado. The Miracle brought in Zack Jones to get the final out of the ninth.

Tied 5-5, the Miracle reversed St. Lucie's momentum in the ninth with a lead-off double from Logan Wade off reliever David Roseboom. Zack Granite then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Wade to third. With a runner at third, the Mets drew in the infield. Walker then laced a 2-2 pitch into right field to drive in Wade and begin the walk-off celebration.

Roseboom (0-1) took the loss and Jones (1-1) picked up the win in relief.

In the first, the Miracle struck for a two-out run. Walker grounded a single up the middle with one out against Mets starter Logan Taylor. After Aderling Mejia flew out to left, Mitch Garver coaxed a walk. Then, on a 3-2 pitch, Marcus Knecht poked an RBI single through the right side to give the Miracle a 1-0 lead.

The Mets tied the game in the top of the second. Cruzado led off with a triple into the right center gap against Miracle starter Kohl Stewart. De La Cruz then hit a tapper down the third base line. Stewart tried to field the ball, but was unable to get a grip and Cruzado scored, 1-1.

In the bottom of the second, the Miracle regained the lead. With two outs, Wade singled through the right side off Taylor. Granite followed with a sliced hit to left and Walker earned a base on balls to load the bases. Taylor then threw four of the next five pitches out of the zone and Mejia earned a walk to bring in a run. Garver pulled a 1-0 pitch from Taylor through the left side for a two-run single and extended the Miracle advantage to 4-1.

Wade added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push the Miracle lead to 5-1.

Stewart went seven innings in a no decision and gave up just one run in six innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

The Miracle (60-51, 22-19) head to Roger Dean Stadium on Friday to play the first place Palm Beach Cardinals. Game time is set for 6:35 p.m.

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Florida State League Stories from August 6, 2015


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