Mets capitalize on Miracle mistakes, win 6-5

ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 6, 2014) - The St. Lucie Mets scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a comeback win over the Fort Myers Miracle, 6-5, at Tradition Field on Wednesday evening.

The Miracle offense knocked around Mets starter and former MLB pitcher Jeremy Hefner in the first inning. Levi Michael led off by lifting Hefner's second pitch into right field for a base hit. After Byron Buxton flew out to center, Travis Harrison earned a walk. Dalton Hicks stepped up and ripped a 1-1 pitch into the corner in right to score two runs with Harrison beating the throw at home plate. Hicks advanced to third. Adam Brett Walker then beat out an infield single up the middle to score Hicks and give the Miracle a 3-0 lead.

Seth Lugo replaced Hefner in the second inning for the Mets out of the bullpen and kept the Miracle off the board until the fourth inning. Tyler Grimes started the inning by earning a walk. After Niko Goodrum was called out on strikes, Michael added to the Miracle lead with his first homer of the season. On a 2-0 pitch, Michael hit a low liner over the fence in right to extend the Miracle advantage to 5-0.

The Mets picked up a run off Miracle starter Mat Tomshaw in the fourth inning. With one out, Phillip Evans reached on an error by shortstop Niko Goodrum. Then, Gavin Cecchini singled up the middle to put runners on first and second.

A costly error in the sixth inning opened the door for the Mets to take the lead. With two out, Cecchini bounced a single up the middle. Albert Cordero then hit a grounder to short. Goodrum's throw was not held onto by Hicks. Gilbert Gomez then chopped a double down the first base line to plate two runs and cut the Miracle lead to 5-3.

Jeff McNeil earned a walk from Tomshaw (9-4) to put runners at first and second. The trio of Maikis De La Cruz, L.J. Mazzilli and Jared King combined for three consecutive RBI base hits. King's single into right center pushed across the winning run, 6-5.

Beck Wheeler pitched the final two innings scoreless for St. Lucie to earn his ninth save.

Tomshaw went six innings and allowed six runs, none earned, on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Todd Van Steensel tossed two scoreless frames out of the Miracle bullpen.

Lugo (6-1) earned the win with five innings out of the Mets pen with just two runs allowed on two hits. Lugo struck out five and walked four.

Fort Myers (66-47, 25-19) returns to Tradition Field to lock horns with St. Lucie (63-48, 23-19) on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. Fans can listen to every pitch with the 'Voice of the Miracle' Brice Zimmerman on www.miraclebaseball.com. The Head Quarters pregame show starts at 6:10 p.m.