Miracle, Threshers split Thursday twin bill
Eades wins fourth game in first of double dip
CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 28, 2015) - The Fort Myers Miracle and Clearwater Threshers split a doubleheader on Thursday evening at Bright House Field. The Miracle won game won, 2-1, but lost the second, 6-3.
In game one, the Miracle pushed across a run in the first inning. Zack Granite led off with a single into right center and then was sacrificed to second base on a bunt from Ryan Walker. Alex Swim grounded out to second to advance Granite to third. Then, with Chad Christensen at the plate, Threshers starter Mark Leiter threw a wild pitch to the backstop and Granite scored standing, 1-0.
Clearwater tied the game in the bottom of the second. Dylan Cozens coaxed a walk out of Miracle starter Ryan Eades. Aaron Brown then smacked a double into left center and Cozens scored from first to tie the game, 1-1.
The Miracle pulled ahead with a run in the fourth. Swim started the frame with a base hit through the right side and moved to second on a wild pitch from Leiter (3-1_). After Christensen struck out, Leiter got Goodrum swinging, but the third strike bounced behind catcher Andrew Knapp and Goodrum reached first while Swim advanced to third. Marcus Knecht then smashed a single through the right side to score Swim and give the Miracle the lead, 2-1.
Eades (4-1) went four innings in the victory and gave up just the one run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Leiter went the distance in a loss, allowing two runs on five hits with five punch outs.
Luke Westphal entered out of the Miracle pen in the sixth and posted a perfect frame. Brandon Peterson emerged for the seventh and retired the side for his second save of the season and a fourth consecutive Miracle win.
In game two, the Miracle scored again in the first inning. Granite roped a double down the first base line off Threshers starter David Whitehead. Knecht then used the same path, hugging a ground ball down the chalk to score Granite, 1-0.
Clearwater battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the first. Crawford led off with an infield hit then moved to second on a ground out to third by Andrew Pullin. Knapp then laced a 1-1 pitch from starter Brett Lee to left for an RBI double, 1-1.
In the second, Logan Wade started a two-out rally with a double into right center field. Tanner Vavra then picked up his first RBI of the season with a first pitch bouncing single up the middle to score Wade, 2-1.
Vavra struck again in the fourth inning. After one-out walks to Bryan Haar and Mitch Garver, Wade flew out, but Vavra laced a single into center field. Haar beat Chase Harris' throw to extend the Miracle lead to 3-1.
Clearwater inched closer in the bottom of the fourth. Knapp reached on a walk and then moved to third on a double by Dylan Cozens. Willians Astudillo then rolled into a fielder's choice to short and Goodrum started a run-down with Knapp for the first out while Cozens advanced to third. Chace Numata then bounced a ball to second base. Vavra threw out Numata at first, but Cozens scored, 3-2.
In the fifth, the Threshers sent nine men to the plate against Lee (1-3) and four runs scored on three hits and three walks. After an RBI on a ground ball out by Pullin, Cozens delivered a two-run triple to put Clearwater on top. Two hitters later, Numata singled up the middle to score a sixth Thresher run and extend the lead to 6-3.
Yacksel Rios earned the victory for Clearwater after a scoreless inning in the fifth. Rios (1-1) inherited a runner and stranded two with a pair of strikeouts. Edubray Ramos retired all six Miracle batters he faced in a two inning save.
Lee went 4.2 innings in a losing effort for the Miracle with six runs given up on six hits, four walks and one strikeout. Dallas Gallant recorded the final four outs for the Miracle.
The series at Bright House Field wraps up on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Fans can listen to the action on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman. The MiracleBaseball.com pregame show starts at 6:05 p.m.
In game one, the Miracle pushed across a run in the first inning. Zack Granite led off with a single into right center and then was sacrificed to second base on a bunt from Ryan Walker. Alex Swim grounded out to second to advance Granite to third. Then, with Chad Christensen at the plate, Threshers starter Mark Leiter threw a wild pitch to the backstop and Granite scored standing, 1-0.
Clearwater tied the game in the bottom of the second. Dylan Cozens coaxed a walk out of Miracle starter Ryan Eades. Aaron Brown then smacked a double into left center and Cozens scored from first to tie the game, 1-1.
The Miracle pulled ahead with a run in the fourth. Swim started the frame with a base hit through the right side and moved to second on a wild pitch from Leiter (3-1_). After Christensen struck out, Leiter got Goodrum swinging, but the third strike bounced behind catcher Andrew Knapp and Goodrum reached first while Swim advanced to third. Marcus Knecht then smashed a single through the right side to score Swim and give the Miracle the lead, 2-1.
Eades (4-1) went four innings in the victory and gave up just the one run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Leiter went the distance in a loss, allowing two runs on five hits with five punch outs.
Luke Westphal entered out of the Miracle pen in the sixth and posted a perfect frame. Brandon Peterson emerged for the seventh and retired the side for his second save of the season and a fourth consecutive Miracle win.
In game two, the Miracle scored again in the first inning. Granite roped a double down the first base line off Threshers starter David Whitehead. Knecht then used the same path, hugging a ground ball down the chalk to score Granite, 1-0.
Clearwater battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the first. Crawford led off with an infield hit then moved to second on a ground out to third by Andrew Pullin. Knapp then laced a 1-1 pitch from starter Brett Lee to left for an RBI double, 1-1.
In the second, Logan Wade started a two-out rally with a double into right center field. Tanner Vavra then picked up his first RBI of the season with a first pitch bouncing single up the middle to score Wade, 2-1.
Vavra struck again in the fourth inning. After one-out walks to Bryan Haar and Mitch Garver, Wade flew out, but Vavra laced a single into center field. Haar beat Chase Harris' throw to extend the Miracle lead to 3-1.
Clearwater inched closer in the bottom of the fourth. Knapp reached on a walk and then moved to third on a double by Dylan Cozens. Willians Astudillo then rolled into a fielder's choice to short and Goodrum started a run-down with Knapp for the first out while Cozens advanced to third. Chace Numata then bounced a ball to second base. Vavra threw out Numata at first, but Cozens scored, 3-2.
In the fifth, the Threshers sent nine men to the plate against Lee (1-3) and four runs scored on three hits and three walks. After an RBI on a ground ball out by Pullin, Cozens delivered a two-run triple to put Clearwater on top. Two hitters later, Numata singled up the middle to score a sixth Thresher run and extend the lead to 6-3.
Yacksel Rios earned the victory for Clearwater after a scoreless inning in the fifth. Rios (1-1) inherited a runner and stranded two with a pair of strikeouts. Edubray Ramos retired all six Miracle batters he faced in a two inning save.
Lee went 4.2 innings in a losing effort for the Miracle with six runs given up on six hits, four walks and one strikeout. Dallas Gallant recorded the final four outs for the Miracle.
The series at Bright House Field wraps up on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Fans can listen to the action on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman. The MiracleBaseball.com pregame show starts at 6:05 p.m.