TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Tarpons (15-11) were held scoreless for the first time this season as the Fort Myers Miracle (12-14) evened the series with a 5-0 win on Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Freicer Perez began his fifth start of the season by retiring the first six
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Tarpons (15-11) were held scoreless for the first time this season as the Fort Myers Miracle (12-14) evened the series with a 5-0 win on Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Freicer Perez began his fifth start of the season by retiring the first six batters he faced. The 6-8 right-hander ran into trouble in the third, issuing a walk and a hit-batter to begin the inning. Two outs later, Joe Cronin lined a two-run triple to the wall in right-center, giving Fort Myers a 2-0 lead.
Tampa put the leadoff man aboard in three innings against Miracle starter Tyler Wells (W, 3-1). The right-hander managed to toss six scoreless innings, holding the Tarpons to two hits and a walk while striking out four and throwing 52 of 85 pitches for strikes.
Perez bounced back with a perfect fourth, but lost his command in the fifth, walking four batters, including an RBI base on balls by Luis Arraez. Perez struck out Jaylin Davis to limit the damage.
Adam Lind lined a leadoff double against reliever Andrew Vasquez in the seventh. Later, a single by Alexander Palma put runners on the corners, but Vasquez got a groundout by Diego Castillo to end the frame.
Angel Aguilar and Hoy Jun Park both singled with one out in the eighth, but Vasquez struck out Estevan Florial and got Lind to ground out to keep the shutout alive.
LHP Justin Kamplain tossed a 1-2-3 sixth before the Miracle added a run in the seventh. Caleb Hamilton singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error before scoring on a two-out single by Cronin.
Fort Myers added another unearned run against RHP David Sosebee in the ninth when Nelson Molina walked, stole second and crossed the plate on a pair of throwing errors by catcher Francisco Diaz .
RHP Hector Lujan completed the shutout, retiring the Tarpons in order in the ninth.
Perez (L, 0-3) allowed three earned runs on two hits in five innings, walking five while striking out five and throwing 47 of 91 pitches for strikes.
Palma (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to eight games, batting .400 (12-for-30) in that span. RHP Matt Frawley logged a scoreless inning in the eighth (1H, 1BB, 2K).
The rubber game is set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Michael King (0-2, 2.70) will make the start for Tampa against Miracle southpaw Charlie Barnes (0-2, 4.24). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network. On "Taco Thursday," fans can enjoy the all-you-can-eat Taco and Nacho bar for $18, $5 house Margaritas, and $4 Coronas from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
