Miracle drop series opener to Clearwater, 10-2

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Alex Kirilloff went deep for the second straight game, but the Fort Myers Miracle dropped a 10-2 contest to the Clearwater Threshers on Friday night at Hammond Stadium.
The Miracle loss, combined with two Charlotte wins, drops the Miracle into a first place tie with the Stone Crabs. Each team has two games remaining.
On one of the wackiest plays of the season, Clearwater scored the game's first run after Miracle pitcher Griffin Jax, with runners at first and second, tossed the ball into the dugout believing time had been given. The umpires ruled time had not been granted and charged Jax with a two-base throwing error, which gave the Threshers a 1-0 lead. Mickey Moniak followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0 Clearwater.
Kirilloff's first inning blast, his 20^th of the year (seventh with the Miracle), cut the deficit to 2-1.
The teams traded runs in the second. Kevin Markham gave Clearwater a 3-1 lead with an RBI single before Ben Rortvedt trimmed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the frame with an RBI groundout.
Clearwater broke the game open with three runs in the third on a Grenny Cumana RBI single and a Brian Mims two-run single. The Threshers added two more in the fourth on a Kyle Martin two-run home run to grab an 8-2 advantage.
Still leading 8-2 in the eighth, Raul Rivas pushed the lead to 9-2 with a solo home run. Rivas made it 10-2 in the ninth with an RBI single to left.  
Jax (3-4) took the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) in 2.2 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out one.
Mauricio Llovera (8-7) picked up the win after surrendering two runs (one earned) in six innings of work. Llovera walked two and struck out nine.
The three-game series continues on Saturday night. Edwar Colina (0-1. 5.79) gets the start for the Miracle. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.