Miracle complete sweep of Blue Jays

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

DUNEDIN — It was billed as a matchup between two first-round draft picks. It ended up as a three-game sweep as the Fort Myers Miracle topped the Dunedin Blue Jays 7-5 on Thursday night in a Florida State League game at Knology Park.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Blue Jays' top 2004 pick, starter David Purcey. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings, giving up six runs (three earned) on four hits while walking three and striking out three.

Purcey entered the game with a 1.80 ERA.

Three walks, a hit batter and a dropped ball in the first inning led to three Miracle runs.

The Miracle scored their first run when Matt Moses hit a grounder to first. Joey Reiman's throw to second was dropped by the shortstop and went into shallow right, allowing Denard Span to score. Kyle Phillips walked with the bases loaded to bring home the second run. Trent Oeltjen's sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

In the second, the Miracle scored three more runs on a two-run single by Brock Peterson, who finished the series with eight RBI. The third run scored when Peterson was caught in a rundown between third and home. Third baseman Eric Arnold's throw to catcher Robinson Diaz was dropped, allowing Peterson to score.

In the fourth, the Miracle finished their scoring with a bases-loaded walk to Matt Tolbert.

Blue Jays pitchers walked seven Miracle hitters.

Miracle starter and 2004 first-round pick Glen Perkins went three shutout innings, allowing just four hits, while walking one and striking out three.

With the score 7-1, the Blue Jays scored four in the seventh off of reliever Peter Tautor. Jay Sawatski went the final three innings, allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out two to pick up the save.

Tristan Crawford got the victory, going three innings, allowing a run on two hits while walking two and striking out four.

Fort Myers heads home to take on the first-place Lakeland Tigers, a half-game ahead of the Miracle in the FSL West.