Mets knock off Miracle, 7-4, on Tuesday night
Batts takes third loss of the season
FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 4, 2015) - The St. Lucie Mets defeated the Fort Myers Miracle, 7-4, at Hammond Stadium in the series opener on Tuesday night.
Scoring three runs in the first inning, the Mets never trailed. Miracle starter Mat Batts was greeted by a lead-off double from Yeixon Ruiz. Jeff McNeil then flew out to right field to push Ruiz to third base. Matt Oberste lined a 2-1 pitch from Batts (5-3) into center field to score Ruiz.
Continuing the frame, Dominic Smith singled to right and Victor Cruzado snuck a ground ball through the left side to load the bases. Stefan Sabol then lifted a fly ball into center field deep enough to score Oberste on a sacrifice fly. Phillip Evans sliced a base hit into right field to bring in Smith from second, 3-0.
The Miracle answered back in the bottom of the first. Engelb Vielma coaxed a walk from Mets starter Scarlyn Reyes. Vielma then took off and stole second base. Catcher Lednier Ricardo's throw bounced into center field and Vielma moved to third. After a fly out to right field from Mitch Garver, Alex Swim forced in a run when he reached on an error by Evans at second base. Marcus Knecht followed with an infield hit. Aderling Mejia hit into a force play at first to put runners on the corners with two outs. Chad Christensen sliced a 1-1 pitch from Reyes into right to bring in Swim, 3-2.
Regaining a multi-run lead in the second, the Mets got a lead-off single up the middle from Ricardo. Ruiz laid down a bunt and beat the throw down the line for a hit. McNeil put down a sacrifice bunt, but reached on a dropped ball by Ryan Walker to load the bases. Batts got Oberste to pop out in the infield, but Smith drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center to give the Mets a 4-2 lead.
Chipping away a run from the Mets' lead in the fourth, the Miracle got a two-out single from Vielma after a triple by Zack Granite. On an 0-2 pitch, Granite roped a three-bagger into right field. Vielma then laced a base hit to center and brought home Granite, 4-3.
In the sixth, the Miracle went to the bullpen and called on Brian Gilbert. Allowing five hits, Gilbert was touched up for three runs on three consecutive RBI hits by the Mets. Ruiz and Oberste picked up RBI singles and McNeil drove in a run with a triple.
Down 7-3, the Miracle scraped a run across in the seventh. With one out against Mets reliever Robert Coles, Knecht doubled into left. Mejia then bounced a hard single up the middle and Knecht scored, 7-4. Coles (4-2) earned the win with 2.2 innings in relief.
Batts took the loss after giving up four runs, three earned, on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Zack Jones tossed two perfect frames in the seventh and eighth. Corey Williams did not give up a runner and faced four batters with a strikeout in the ninth.
Mike Hepple earned his second save of the season by recording the final six outs for the Mets.
The Miracle (59-50, 21-18) continue a three-game set with the Mets (55-52, 20-17) at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. for Ladies Night. All ladies ages 12 and older receive free admission. Ladies ages 21 and up get two complimentary drink tickets for wine, single wells or domestic draft beers. For more information, call the Miracle offices at (239) 768-4210 or visit www.miraclebaseball.com
Scoring three runs in the first inning, the Mets never trailed. Miracle starter Mat Batts was greeted by a lead-off double from Yeixon Ruiz. Jeff McNeil then flew out to right field to push Ruiz to third base. Matt Oberste lined a 2-1 pitch from Batts (5-3) into center field to score Ruiz.
Continuing the frame, Dominic Smith singled to right and Victor Cruzado snuck a ground ball through the left side to load the bases. Stefan Sabol then lifted a fly ball into center field deep enough to score Oberste on a sacrifice fly. Phillip Evans sliced a base hit into right field to bring in Smith from second, 3-0.
The Miracle answered back in the bottom of the first. Engelb Vielma coaxed a walk from Mets starter Scarlyn Reyes. Vielma then took off and stole second base. Catcher Lednier Ricardo's throw bounced into center field and Vielma moved to third. After a fly out to right field from Mitch Garver, Alex Swim forced in a run when he reached on an error by Evans at second base. Marcus Knecht followed with an infield hit. Aderling Mejia hit into a force play at first to put runners on the corners with two outs. Chad Christensen sliced a 1-1 pitch from Reyes into right to bring in Swim, 3-2.
Regaining a multi-run lead in the second, the Mets got a lead-off single up the middle from Ricardo. Ruiz laid down a bunt and beat the throw down the line for a hit. McNeil put down a sacrifice bunt, but reached on a dropped ball by Ryan Walker to load the bases. Batts got Oberste to pop out in the infield, but Smith drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center to give the Mets a 4-2 lead.
Chipping away a run from the Mets' lead in the fourth, the Miracle got a two-out single from Vielma after a triple by Zack Granite. On an 0-2 pitch, Granite roped a three-bagger into right field. Vielma then laced a base hit to center and brought home Granite, 4-3.
In the sixth, the Miracle went to the bullpen and called on Brian Gilbert. Allowing five hits, Gilbert was touched up for three runs on three consecutive RBI hits by the Mets. Ruiz and Oberste picked up RBI singles and McNeil drove in a run with a triple.
Down 7-3, the Miracle scraped a run across in the seventh. With one out against Mets reliever Robert Coles, Knecht doubled into left. Mejia then bounced a hard single up the middle and Knecht scored, 7-4. Coles (4-2) earned the win with 2.2 innings in relief.
Batts took the loss after giving up four runs, three earned, on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Zack Jones tossed two perfect frames in the seventh and eighth. Corey Williams did not give up a runner and faced four batters with a strikeout in the ninth.
Mike Hepple earned his second save of the season by recording the final six outs for the Mets.
The Miracle (59-50, 21-18) continue a three-game set with the Mets (55-52, 20-17) at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. for Ladies Night. All ladies ages 12 and older receive free admission. Ladies ages 21 and up get two complimentary drink tickets for wine, single wells or domestic draft beers. For more information, call the Miracle offices at (239) 768-4210 or visit www.miraclebaseball.com