FORT MYERS, Fla. - An eight-run first inning highlighted by a Royce Lewis three-run home run helped the Fort Myers Miracle to a 12-2 win over the Daytona Tortugas on Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.The Miracle now lead the best-of-five Championship Series, 2-0.Already leading 4-0 in the first on a Jose
FORT MYERS, Fla. - An eight-run first inning highlighted by a Royce Lewis three-run home run helped the Fort Myers Miracle to a 12-2 win over the Daytona Tortugas on Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.
The Miracle now lead the best-of-five Championship Series, 2-0.
Already leading 4-0 in the first on a Jose Miranda two-run single and based loaded walks by Caleb Hamilton and Ryan Costello, Mark Contreras increased the lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly to right. Lewis then stepped to the plate and smashed a three-run home run to left to cap off the eight-run inning.
Travis Blankenhorn and Hamilton each produced run scoring hits in the second to push the lead to 10-0.
Down 10-0 in the seventh, the Tortugas finally broke through on a Tyler Stephenson two-run home run to left-center. The Miracle scored a run in the bottom of the frame when Contreras was hit with the bases loaded. Blankenhorn finished the scoring an inning later with an RBI single.
Griffin Jax (1-0) earned the win after tossing 6.2 innings. The right-hander allowed two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out six. Kevin Marnon, in his 2018 playoff debut, pitched 2.1 scoreless innings.
Kevin Canelon (0-1) made a spot start for the Tortugas and did not record an out. Canelon allowed five runs (three earned). Aaron Fossas entered and yielded five runs in five innings.
The eight-run inning first inning marks the first time in franchise history the Miracle scored that many runs in an inning in the playoffs. The 12-runs also marked a playoff high.
The series now shifts to Daytona Beach for Game three on Sunday night. Brusdar Graterol (-,--) takes the mound trying to pitch the Miracle to their second title in five years. Tejay Antone (0-0, 10.38) will start for the Tortugas trying to extend their season. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m.
