Goodrum's triple seals 15-inning Miracle win, 6-3
Fort Myers takes game two of series in tenth extra inning game of the season
BRADENTON, Fla. (May 5, 2015) - Niko Goodrum cracked a two-run triple in the top of the 15th inning to spur a three-run rally and guide the Fort Myers Miracle to a 6-3 extra inning victory over the Bradenton Marauders at McKechnie Field on Tuesday evening.
Tied 3-3 after 14 frames, Chad Christensen led off the top of the 15th with a bunt attempt that bounced to Bradenton reliever Andy Otamendi. Coming off the mound, Otamendi's glove missed the ball and trickled behind the rubber allowing Christensen to reach on the error. On the next pitch, Bryan Haar smacked a double off the wall in left center field to place runners at second and third.
Goodrum stepped up and roped a 2-2 pitch from Otamendi (2-2) over Barrett Barnes' head in left field. Christensen and Haar scored easily and Goodrum slid into third with his first triple of the season to give the Miracle a 5-3 lead. After Tanner Vavra struck out, Aderling Mejia lifted a fly ball to right field. Jose Osuna recorded the out, but Goodrum tagged from third base and scored to boost the Miracle advantage to 6-3.
Brian Gilbert returned for the bottom of the 15th after pitching 1.2 innings in relief in the 13th and 14th. Gilbert (1-1) walked the first two hitters and left the game with an injury. Todd Van Steensel emerged from the Miracle bullpen to inherit two base runners and no outs. Van Steensel retired Reese McGuire on a foul pop up to third, but walked JaCoby Jones to load the bases. With the winning run at home plate, Van Steensel rebounded to strike out Erich Weiss and Osuna to end the game. With a scoreless 15th and pitching on back-to-back days, Van Steensel earned his second save of the season.
Bradenton's scoring started in the first when the Marauders tagged Miracle starter Aaron Slegers for a pair of runs. With one out, Barrett Barnes doubled into the left field corner. Slegers then issued a walk to Reese McGuire to put runners at first and second. On a 2-2 pitch, JaCoby Jones sent a bouncing ball to shortstop Engelb Vielma. Ceding the run, Vielma let Barnes score, but ran down McGuire on the bases for the second out. With Erich Weiss at the plate, Jones swiped second and then came home to score when Weiss pulled a grounder through the right side, 2-0.
Mitch Garver supplied a couple of RBI hits in the second and fourth innings to tie the game for the Miracle. In the second, Jason Kanzler reached on a fielding error by third baseman Chris Diaz, then stole second base. Garver shot a 1-2 pitch from Marauders starter Cody Dickson through the right side to bring in Kanzler, 2-1.
In the fourth, Chad Christensen and Bryan Haar began the frame with back-to-back singles. Niko Goodrum rolled into a 5-4-3 double play and Christensen advanced to third. Kanzler coaxed a walk out of Dickson to put runners on the corner. Garver stepped in and pulled a 3-1 pitch through the left side to plate Christensen and tie the game, 2-2.
Slegers exited the game after seven strong innings with two runs allowed on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Slegers ended his night retiring 10 Marauders in a row.
The game remained 2-2 into the 11th inning. Marauders reliever Ryan Hafner worked his second inning and started off by walking Garver. Vavra entered as a pinch-runner and moved to third base on a well executed hit-and-run with Mejia. With runners at first and third, Alex Swim pinch-hit for Logan Wade, but grounded out to third. Zack Granite then lifted a fly ball to center. Vavra tagged and scored to give the Miracle a 3-2 edge.
The Marauders rallied in the bottom of the 11th to stay alive. With one out, McGuire earned a walk off Miracle reliever Brandon Peterson. McGuire then advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third uncontested. Peterson struck out Jones, but went to a full count on Weiss. On the 3-2 pitch, Peterson missed in the dirt for ball four and the ball skipped to the backstop. McGuire scored to tie the game back up at 3-3.
The extra inning game was Fort Myers' tenth in the first 26 games of the season. The Miracle have played in 28 extra innings this season and hold a 5-5 record.
Wrapping up the series with a rubber match on Wednesday, the Miracle (10-16) return to McKechnie Field for a 6:30 p.m. start with the Marauders (13-13). Fans can listen to the broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman. The MiracleBaseball.com pregame show begins at 6:05 p.m.
Tied 3-3 after 14 frames, Chad Christensen led off the top of the 15th with a bunt attempt that bounced to Bradenton reliever Andy Otamendi. Coming off the mound, Otamendi's glove missed the ball and trickled behind the rubber allowing Christensen to reach on the error. On the next pitch, Bryan Haar smacked a double off the wall in left center field to place runners at second and third.
Goodrum stepped up and roped a 2-2 pitch from Otamendi (2-2) over Barrett Barnes' head in left field. Christensen and Haar scored easily and Goodrum slid into third with his first triple of the season to give the Miracle a 5-3 lead. After Tanner Vavra struck out, Aderling Mejia lifted a fly ball to right field. Jose Osuna recorded the out, but Goodrum tagged from third base and scored to boost the Miracle advantage to 6-3.
Brian Gilbert returned for the bottom of the 15th after pitching 1.2 innings in relief in the 13th and 14th. Gilbert (1-1) walked the first two hitters and left the game with an injury. Todd Van Steensel emerged from the Miracle bullpen to inherit two base runners and no outs. Van Steensel retired Reese McGuire on a foul pop up to third, but walked JaCoby Jones to load the bases. With the winning run at home plate, Van Steensel rebounded to strike out Erich Weiss and Osuna to end the game. With a scoreless 15th and pitching on back-to-back days, Van Steensel earned his second save of the season.
Bradenton's scoring started in the first when the Marauders tagged Miracle starter Aaron Slegers for a pair of runs. With one out, Barrett Barnes doubled into the left field corner. Slegers then issued a walk to Reese McGuire to put runners at first and second. On a 2-2 pitch, JaCoby Jones sent a bouncing ball to shortstop Engelb Vielma. Ceding the run, Vielma let Barnes score, but ran down McGuire on the bases for the second out. With Erich Weiss at the plate, Jones swiped second and then came home to score when Weiss pulled a grounder through the right side, 2-0.
Mitch Garver supplied a couple of RBI hits in the second and fourth innings to tie the game for the Miracle. In the second, Jason Kanzler reached on a fielding error by third baseman Chris Diaz, then stole second base. Garver shot a 1-2 pitch from Marauders starter Cody Dickson through the right side to bring in Kanzler, 2-1.
In the fourth, Chad Christensen and Bryan Haar began the frame with back-to-back singles. Niko Goodrum rolled into a 5-4-3 double play and Christensen advanced to third. Kanzler coaxed a walk out of Dickson to put runners on the corner. Garver stepped in and pulled a 3-1 pitch through the left side to plate Christensen and tie the game, 2-2.
Slegers exited the game after seven strong innings with two runs allowed on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Slegers ended his night retiring 10 Marauders in a row.
The game remained 2-2 into the 11th inning. Marauders reliever Ryan Hafner worked his second inning and started off by walking Garver. Vavra entered as a pinch-runner and moved to third base on a well executed hit-and-run with Mejia. With runners at first and third, Alex Swim pinch-hit for Logan Wade, but grounded out to third. Zack Granite then lifted a fly ball to center. Vavra tagged and scored to give the Miracle a 3-2 edge.
The Marauders rallied in the bottom of the 11th to stay alive. With one out, McGuire earned a walk off Miracle reliever Brandon Peterson. McGuire then advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third uncontested. Peterson struck out Jones, but went to a full count on Weiss. On the 3-2 pitch, Peterson missed in the dirt for ball four and the ball skipped to the backstop. McGuire scored to tie the game back up at 3-3.
The extra inning game was Fort Myers' tenth in the first 26 games of the season. The Miracle have played in 28 extra innings this season and hold a 5-5 record.
Wrapping up the series with a rubber match on Wednesday, the Miracle (10-16) return to McKechnie Field for a 6:30 p.m. start with the Marauders (13-13). Fans can listen to the broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman. The MiracleBaseball.com pregame show begins at 6:05 p.m.