Miracle fall, 3-2, in rain-shortened affair

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Miracle dropped a rain-shortened five-inning game to the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 3-2, on Friday night at Publix Field at Joker Marchant stadium.
Ernie De La Trinidad put the Miracle up 2-0 with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the first inning. Both runs charged to Lakeland starter Garrett Hill were unearned due to a pair of Lakeland errors.
Miracle starter Tyler Watson struggled with his control from the get-go. The left-hander walked a career-high six in just 3.1 innings. He was able to limit the damage to one run in the first inning, when Lakeland loaded the bases with nobody out. Kody Clemens delivered a sacrifice fly.
The Flying Tigers took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the second. Chad Sedio picked up an RBI infield single and Clemens earned his second RBI with a fielder's choice grounder.
Hill (4-4) went all five innings for Lakeland. He allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out seven. Calvin Faucher picked up two outs, both on strikeouts, in relief of Watson for the Miracle. It was Faucher's sixth consecutive scoreless appearance out of the Miracle bullpen.
The game was called due to heavy rain in the middle of the fifth inning.  
Game two of the three-game series is Saturday night in Lakeland. Right-hander Blayne Enlow will start for the Miracle. First pitch is 6:00 p.m.