LAKELAND, Fla. - Taylor Grzelakowski delivered a two-run double with two-out in the top of the eighth to lift the Fort Myers Miracle over the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 5-2, on Friday night at Publix Field. Grzelakowski, who tripled earlier in the contest, drove the ball to the opposite field over the
LAKELAND, Fla. - Taylor Grzelakowski delivered a two-run double with two-out in the top of the eighth to lift the Fort Myers Miracle over the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 5-2, on Friday night at Publix Field.
Grzelakowski, who tripled earlier in the contest, drove the ball to the opposite field over the head of left fielder Clark Brinkman. The hit snapped a 2-2 tie and scored both Travis Blankenhorn and Joe Cronin, who led off with walks against Lakeland right-hander Wladimir Pinto.
Aaron Whitefield opened the game with a double for a Miracle, stole third, and eventually came home on an RBI single by Caleb Hamilton. The Miracle added a run in the third, when Alex Kirilloff came through with an RBI double.
Whitefield also helped produce an insurance run in the ninth inning. He walked with two out, stole second, and scored on Blankenhorn's RBI single.
Griffin Jax started for the Miracle and took a perfect game into the fifth inning, retiring the first 13 hitters he faced. He ended up allowing two runs on five hits in 6.1 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out five.
Lakeland scored once in the sixth and then again in the seventh. Jax departed after issuing a bases loaded walk to Zac Shepherd to tie the game, 2-2. Hector Lujan entered with the bases loaded and one out. He induced a ground ball back to the mound off the bat of Clark Brinkman and started a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. The Miracle then rallied in the eighth and re-took a lead they would not relinquish.
Lujan (2-3) closed out the game for the Miracle and earned the win. He struck out five in 2.2 innings. Pinto (2-2) suffered the loss for Lakeland.
Gregory Soto started for the Flying Tigers and struck out nine in six innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and took a no-decision.
