Miracle start season with sweep

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

SARASOTA — The Florida State League season couldn't have gotten off to a better start for the Fort Myers Miracle, taking both ends of a doubleheader Friday night.

Fort Myers defeated the Sarasota Reds 4-0 and 8-2 at Ed Smith Stadium.

Matt Moses, a first-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2003, hit a pair of home runs.

Good pitching and a little bit of power guided the Miracle to a victory in the first game.

Starter Errol Simonitsch allowed just one hit in five innings, striking out three.

The Miracle gave Simonitsch all the run support he needed in the fourth inning when Moses walked with one out, moved to second on a Brock Peterson single and advanced to third when Felix Molina reached on a fielder's choice.

Former Miracle pitcher Erik Lohse then unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Moses to score. Reds catcher Miguel Perez's throw to third went into left field, enabling Molina to score.

In the sixth, Moses hit a two-run homer to center field.

In game two, the Miracle fell behind on a solo homer by Reds leadoff man Chris Dickerson, but they got that back and a lot more in a six-run second inning.

The Miracle scored all six runs with two outs.

Ben Pattee singled home a run, Matt Tolbert knocked in two and Moses added an RBI single. Brock Peterson finished off the scoring with a two-run triple.

Moses hit another homer in the nightcap, this one to right field.

He finished the second game 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored.

Pattee collected three hits and an RBI, while Tolbert was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The teams are the same tonight, but the location is different.

The Miracle has its home opener at 7:05 tonight at Lee County Sports Complex.

Fans can get a free ticket from any Publix store in Lee or Collier counties, and can upgrade to a box seat for just $2.

A fireworks show follows the game.