Threshers down Miracle 6-4

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Threshers have been struggling early in this Florida State League season but rose up Monday night for a 6-4 victory against the Fort Myers Miracle.

The Threshers used the long ball to score their first two runs of the night. Solo homers by Josh Carter in the first and Doug Gredvig in the fifth against Miracle starter Scott Tyler got Clearwater going.

A three-base error by right fielder Omar Burgos enabled the Threshers to score their third run.

The Miracle answered back with a big four-run sixth. Matt Moses led off the inning with a double, extending his hit streak to seven games. It was also the fifth consecutive game that Moses has doubled.

Kyle Phillips followed with a single and Brock Peterson drove Moses home with a single to left. Two outs later, Burgos atoned for his error with a three-run homer to left, his first of the season, giving the Miracle a 4-3 lead.

It was short-lived, however, because in the bottom of the sixth Miracle reliever Chris Schutt had control problems. After a strikeout to lead off the inning, Schutt walked the next three hitters. He then gave up an RBI single to Omar Bramasco and a two-run single to Tim Moss.

Fort Myers managed only one runner over the final three innings and never mounted a threat.

The teams will meet tonight at Bright House Networks Field to conclude a three-game series.

The Miracle will start right-hander Adam Harben (1-1, 2.63 ERA) against Threshers righty Matt Sweeney (0-3, 13.06).