Miracle squander big lead in loss to St. Lucie

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Ryan Jeffers and Lewin Diaz each homered for the Miracle, but St. Lucie scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to come from behind and beat the Miracle, 8-6, on Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium.
The Mets, who once trailed 5-0, entered the ninth inning down 6-4. The first six hitters reached base safely to help the Mets complete the comeback. Carlos Cortes tied the game with a two-run single, before Quinn Brodey gave the Mets their first lead with a run scoring hit. Jacob Zanon made it 8-6 with a sacrifice fly.
The Miracle raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first. With two runs already home, Jeffers blasted a two-run home run to left.
Diaz's blast, his seventh of the season, came in the bottom of the third.
Jordan Balazovic pitched five plus innings. The right-hander allowed four runs on six hits. Balazovic struck out eight, including the game's first five batters. He did not issue a walk.
Joe Record (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs in one plus inning of work.
The Miracle open a three-game series on Monday night against the Bradenton Marauders, the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The first two games of the series will be played in Fort Myers before the series shifts to Bradenton on Wednesday.