Gordon reaches base five times for Miracle

Nick Gordon's torrid July continued Wednesday.

Minnesota's No. 3 prospect went 4-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored Wednesday as Class A Advanced Fort Myers fell to Lakeland, 13-10, at CenturyLink Sports Complex.

In 18 games this month, the 20-year-old shortstop is slashing .364/.388/.442 with 14 runs scored and nine RBIs. The hot stretch has been a welcome sign for Gordon, who said he's been trying to keep the big picture at the forefront.

"It was about me figuring out myself and realizing that the season is a marathon and not a sprint," he said. "In the beginning of the season, I kind of jumped out to a hot start. I was doing well and then I went through a little funk. So I just broke things down and got back to having fun and doing what I was doing when I was going well."

Gordon singled to center field in the first inning before getting plunked by Lakeland starter Trent Szkutnik in the third. In the fourth, the 2014 first-round pick said roped a first-pitch RBI single to left.

"I knew he didn't hit me on purpose," Gordon said. "He was trying to come in and the pitch kind of two-seamed in on me, so I knew it was definitely not on purpose. I was thankful that it didn't hit me in a bad spot.

"I knew in the next at-bat he would go with something off-speed, not just because he came in on me the last time, but because he wanted to get the ground ball because we had runners in scoring position. So I went up there looking for something and got my pitch and didn't miss it."

After grounding out in the sixth, Gordon singled to left in the eighth. The Florida native reached base for the fifth time in the ninth when he roped an RBI double to center to try to rally his team from a six-run deficit.

"I'm letting the game come to me and not letting any situation get too big," Gordon said. "It's just any other at-bat, even with runners in scoring position. You got to think with the pitcher, stay one step ahead of him and beat him. In those situations, I just stay relaxed, keep breathing and stay within myself."

Even though Fort Myers' rally fell short, Gordon was pleased that the Miracle didn't give up.

"We scored 10 runs tonight. Any time you go out and do that is a good night offensively," he said. "We just didn't get things done defensively. We put together a little rally in the ninth. That's a sign of a good playoff team and a contender that will fight until the end. I saw a lot of heart in our guys that we kept fighting and didn't give up at all."

Fort Myers center fielder LaMonte Wade also reached base five times, going 3-for-4 with two walks and two RBIs.

In the top of the second, Detroit's No. 3 prospect Christin Stewart blasted a two-run homer to left for his Florida State League-leading 21st long ball of the season for Lakeland. The 22-year-old outfielder went 3-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored.

Burris Warner (2-0) gave up one hit and one walk while striking out one in two-thirds of an inning in relief of Szkutnik.

Yorman Landa (2-2), who didn't retire any of the five batters he faced in the eighth, allowed four runs on three hits and a walk for the Miracle.