Stone Crabs come up short 4-3 on Opening Night

Four players pick up multiple hits in loss

Nate Lowe drove in a run with a double off the wall in the fourth inning Thursday.

By John Vittas

April 5, 2018

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 5, 2018) - Four Stone Crabs recorded multiple hits Thursday, but Charlotte fell 4-3 to the Fort Myers Miracle at Hammond Stadium.The Stone Crabs (0-1) went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, scoring only three runs despite notching 12 hits. Lucius Fox, Josh Lowe, Nate Lowe

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 5, 2018) - Four Stone Crabs recorded multiple hits Thursday, but Charlotte fell 4-3 to the Fort Myers Miracle at Hammond Stadium.
The Stone Crabs (0-1) went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, scoring only three runs despite notching 12 hits.
Lucius Fox, Josh Lowe, Nate Lowe and David Olmedo-Barrera all picked up two hits in the loss.
In a scoreless game in the top of the fourth, Josh Lowe singled before stealing second. Two batters later, his older brother Nate drove a double off the wall in left to give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Miracle (1-0) hitters Mitchell Kranson and Caleb Hamilton both singled to start the frame. The next batter was Lewin Diaz, who pulled a double into the right field corner to plate two and give Fort Myers a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Olmedo-Barrera lined a single before the next two Stone Crabs were retired. With two outs and Olmedo-Barrera still at first, Josh Lowe pulled a single into right to put two men on. Robbie Tenerowicz then banked a double off of Miracle right fielder Jaylin Davis' glove, allowing both runners to score and give Charlotte a 3-2 lead.
However, Fort Myers got the lead right back in the bottom of the inning. Nelson Molina walked before Brandon Lopez replaced him on the basepaths with a fielder's choice. Aaron Whitefield doubled him to second before Kranson cranked a two-run double to left which proved to be the game winner.
Stone Crabs starter Brock Burke (0-1) worked five innings in defeat, striking out five and walking two. Miracle starter and Twins' rehabber Phil Hughes earned the win despite allowing three runs on five hits over five innings.
Charlotte right-handers Adrian Navas and Peter Bayer combined to work three innings of scoreless relief. Both struck out two.
The Stone Crabs will take on Fort Myers again at 7 p.m. on Friday. Brandon Lawson gets the start for Charlotte against Tyler Wells of the Miracle. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.