Bizarre: L-Tigers Win 6-5 In 12th

By DAVID YATES
Lakeland Ledger

LAKELAND -- The Lakeland Tigers and Fort Myers Miracle played 12 innings of bizarre baseball on Friday night, with the Tigers finally prevailing, 6-5.

The 468 Florida State League baseball fans who turned out at Joker Marchant Stadium saw a little bit of everything.

The two teams combined for 11 runs, 22 hits, four hit batsmen, 25 strikeouts, 24 runners left on base, five errors and seven extra base hits.

The Miracle played the game under protest because of a ball that stuck in the net behind first base, and one unfortunate fan was struck in the head by a bat that traveled farther than most shot puts go.

Gilberto Mejia finally won the game when he singled in Nick McIntyre with two outs in the bottom of the 12th.

Mejia's hit was his third of the game and touched off a playoff-like celebration by teammates who probably wondered if they would play all night.

Victor Mendez, who bats behind Mejia at the top of the Lakeland order, reached base six consecutive times.

The most outstanding performance of the night was turned in by Lakeland reliever Eddie Bonine, who tossed four innings of hitless relief, walking no one and striking out five.

The win went to fellow reliever Jeff Hahn (4-0), who became the FSL's first four-game winner.

The loss went to Miracle right-hander Alexander Farfan, who walked the first two men up in the 12th, struck out the next two, and then surrendered Mejia's gamewinner.

Dallas Trahern (1-2, 5.79) is expected to oppose Miracle right-hander Matt Garza (2-0. 0.77) in the finale of the threegame series tonight at 6.

Another of Lakeland Tiger fireworks displays will follow the game.