Flying Tigers rally to beat slumping Miracle 4-1

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 13, 2013) - The Fort Myers Miracle lost their fourth straight game, falling 4-1 to the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.

Miracle starter Matt Summers held a 1-0 and was shutting out the Flying Tigers through the first six innings, but a costly error in the seventh allowed Lakeland to score twice and take game two of the series.

Steven Moya began the sixth with a single and Summers plunked Jeff McVaney to put runners at first and second. Corey Jones laid down a sac bunt and Summers threw the ball wildly past first base, allowing Moya to score and tie the game 1-1. McVaney was able to move to third and he scored on a ground out to short to put the Flying Tigers ahead.

Meanwhile, Lakeland starter Kyle Ryan held the slumping Miracle lineup in check. He gave up just one run over six innings and struck out five. Evan Bigley doubled in the third and scored on a single by Kennys Vargas, but that would be all for the Miracle.

The Flying Tigers picked up two insurance runs in the ninth. They loaded the bases against Corey Williams, who walked in a run and threw a wild pitch that let another run cross.

Fort Myers has now been limited to one run in 18 innings in the series. The Miracle were shutout for the first time this season at home on Friday.

By shutting out Lakeland through six innings, Summers ran his consecutive innings scoreless streak to 15 before allowing a run in the seventh. He pitched 7 2/3 innings and took the loss.

Michael Torrealba, Slade Smith and Jose Valdez each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Flying Tigers.

The Miracle (55-33, 10-11) and Flying Tigers (39-49, 9-11) meet again on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at Hammond Stadium. It's a Family Fun Sunday at The Bill. Fans can get four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and a souvenir program for just $25.

Join the Voice of the Miracle Brice Zimmerman and Adam MacDonald for the broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com beginning at 3:45 p.m.