fmmiraclegal
04-20-2004, 05:07 AM
It was another great night in the City of Palms as the Fort Myers Miracle defeated the Clearwater Threshers by a score of 2-0. The first part of this game was a great pitching duel between Francisco Liriano for the Miracle, and Alfredo Simon for the Philly farm club.
Simon pitched five innings of no hit baseball, walking only one during that time and striking out five. Liriano’s outing was not quite so smooth sailing. He allowed a single on his first pitch to Chris Roberson, but Felix Molina and Garrett Jones teamed up to trap the runner in between first and second when he tried to steal, tagging him out shortly thereafter. Nick Tempesta would take a double from the Miracle lefthander, but Ryan Barthelemy ground out to end the inning, leaving the runner stranded.
Mike Floyd earned a double from a single and an error by Felix Molina. He was tagged out at third as Vince Vukovich reached first on fielder’s choice. Molina would then make a beautiful play at short, grabbing a ball while eating dirt and passing it to Kaulana Kuhaulua at second who fired it to Jones at first for double play.
All told, Liriano would allow just three hits, issue two walks and strike out five during a phenomenal seven innings worth of work.
The Miracle would sit down to manufacture a run in the seventh. Josh Paddock would take the mound for the Threshers in the bottom of the seventh. Danny Matienzo singled to center, and Doug Deeds advanced him on a well laid down sacrifice bunt. Jesus Marchan was put into pinch run for Matienzo at second base. Jones grounded out to second, but it advanced Marchan to third, which would be more then enough as Kuhaulua doubled to bring him home, putting the Miracle on the board.
Marcus Mosely came in to pitch for Fort Myers at the top of the eighth, drawing two grounders before sticking out Roberson at the top of the Clearwater order.
The Miracle bats came into play again as Beau Richardson took the mound for Clearwater. Molina singled to start, but would be out at second on a failed double play while Ron Perodin remained safe at first. (Molina was safe, BTW, and the failed call by the umpire would prompt field manager Jose Marzan to head out to have a few works with the blind man in blue.) Brett Tamburrino walked, advancing Perodin to second. With one out left to go, Brandon Mayfield would replace Richardson on the hill. Tambo advanced to second and Perodin to third on a passed ball, but catcher Trent Pratts’ throw to third to try to Perodin out would go wild while Perodin leapt over a prone Tempesta and ran for home. Pinch hitter Trent Oltjen grounded out to end the inning.
Mosely returned to the mound in the ninth, issuing one walk, but it would be a spectacular catch by right fielder Doug Deeds who would take Mike Floyd out on a fly ball down the right field line to end the inning and secure the victory.
Jose Morales caught a great game for the Miracle. While he still isn’t getting those throws into second, he watches his runners and isn’t afraid to try for on out at first or third. Some good defensive work all around by the Miracle helped pick up this win. The infield still has its moments, but it’s getting better. Omar Burgos is proving a better third baseman then Michael Sandoval has been.
The Miracle take on the Tampa Yankees for the first game of a double header at home tomorrow night at Hammond Stadium, before heading out on the road to face Lakeland on Thursday and Friday and Tampa on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is the Miracle bus trip to Tampa, which is currently sold out.
Simon pitched five innings of no hit baseball, walking only one during that time and striking out five. Liriano’s outing was not quite so smooth sailing. He allowed a single on his first pitch to Chris Roberson, but Felix Molina and Garrett Jones teamed up to trap the runner in between first and second when he tried to steal, tagging him out shortly thereafter. Nick Tempesta would take a double from the Miracle lefthander, but Ryan Barthelemy ground out to end the inning, leaving the runner stranded.
Mike Floyd earned a double from a single and an error by Felix Molina. He was tagged out at third as Vince Vukovich reached first on fielder’s choice. Molina would then make a beautiful play at short, grabbing a ball while eating dirt and passing it to Kaulana Kuhaulua at second who fired it to Jones at first for double play.
All told, Liriano would allow just three hits, issue two walks and strike out five during a phenomenal seven innings worth of work.
The Miracle would sit down to manufacture a run in the seventh. Josh Paddock would take the mound for the Threshers in the bottom of the seventh. Danny Matienzo singled to center, and Doug Deeds advanced him on a well laid down sacrifice bunt. Jesus Marchan was put into pinch run for Matienzo at second base. Jones grounded out to second, but it advanced Marchan to third, which would be more then enough as Kuhaulua doubled to bring him home, putting the Miracle on the board.
Marcus Mosely came in to pitch for Fort Myers at the top of the eighth, drawing two grounders before sticking out Roberson at the top of the Clearwater order.
The Miracle bats came into play again as Beau Richardson took the mound for Clearwater. Molina singled to start, but would be out at second on a failed double play while Ron Perodin remained safe at first. (Molina was safe, BTW, and the failed call by the umpire would prompt field manager Jose Marzan to head out to have a few works with the blind man in blue.) Brett Tamburrino walked, advancing Perodin to second. With one out left to go, Brandon Mayfield would replace Richardson on the hill. Tambo advanced to second and Perodin to third on a passed ball, but catcher Trent Pratts’ throw to third to try to Perodin out would go wild while Perodin leapt over a prone Tempesta and ran for home. Pinch hitter Trent Oltjen grounded out to end the inning.
Mosely returned to the mound in the ninth, issuing one walk, but it would be a spectacular catch by right fielder Doug Deeds who would take Mike Floyd out on a fly ball down the right field line to end the inning and secure the victory.
Jose Morales caught a great game for the Miracle. While he still isn’t getting those throws into second, he watches his runners and isn’t afraid to try for on out at first or third. Some good defensive work all around by the Miracle helped pick up this win. The infield still has its moments, but it’s getting better. Omar Burgos is proving a better third baseman then Michael Sandoval has been.
The Miracle take on the Tampa Yankees for the first game of a double header at home tomorrow night at Hammond Stadium, before heading out on the road to face Lakeland on Thursday and Friday and Tampa on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is the Miracle bus trip to Tampa, which is currently sold out.