Miracle complete series sweep with 13-7 win

Seven different players drive in runs, Whitefield homers, Kirilloff collects three RBI

(Linwood Ferguson)

By Andrew Bern

July 18, 2018

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Seven different players collected an RBI as the Fort Myers Miracle crushed the St. Lucie Mets, 13-7, on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium. The win was the Miracle's third straight.For the third straight night, the Miracle scored in the first inning. With two on and one out,

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Seven different players collected an RBI as the Fort Myers Miracle crushed the St. Lucie Mets, 13-7, on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium. The win was the Miracle's third straight.
For the third straight night, the Miracle scored in the first inning. With two on and one out, Alex Kirilloff and Caleb Hamilton each produced run scoring singles. Later in the inning, Shane Carrier pushed the Miracle lead to 4-0 with a two out knock to left.
After St. Lucie cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the second, Royce Lewis collected his first RBI in a Miracle uniform in the bottom of the inning to increase the lead to 5-2.
The Mets scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to close the gap to 5-4, but Fort Myers answered with a run in the fifth on a Lewin Diaz sacrifice fly.
An RBI ground out from Ali Sanchez brought St. Lucie to within 6-5 in the sixth, but Aaron Whitefield blasted his second home run of the season in the bottom half to increase the lead to 8-5.
St. Lucie scored two runs in the seventh, but it was the closest they would come. The Miracle erupted for five runs in the bottom of the eighth. Mark Contreras doubled in two before Kirilloff followed with a two-run triple to extend the lead to 12-7. Hamilton capped off the scoring with an RBI ground out.
Kirilloff finished 4-5 with three RBI while Contreras, Carrier, Hamilton, and Whitefield all drove in two.
Miracle starter Tyler Wells took a no decision after pitching three innings. The right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. Adam Bray (two innings, one run) and Tom Hackimer (one inning, three runs) followed before giving way to Hector Lujan. Lujan (3-3) tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Alex Robinson pitched a scoreless ninth.
David Peterson (2-4) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs in three innings. The St. Lucie bullpen allowed eight runs (six earned) across five innings.
The Miracle finished 7-15 with runners in scoring position and have matched a season-high with three straight wins.
Fort Myers opens a three-game series on Thursday night against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m.