Miracle Two-Hit L-Tigers

By DAVID YATES
Lakeland Ledger

LAKELAND -- The Lakeland Tigers had a chance to go into first place Saturday night.

Unfortunately, however, they had no chance against Fort Myers ace Matt Garza.

The Twins' first pick in last year's draft held the L-Tigers to one hit in 6.2 innings of dominant baseball, striking out nine and walking two.

Lakeland fared no better against reliever Angel Garcia and dropped a 9-1 decision to the Miracle before 807 Florida State League baseball fans at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The only hit off Garza came in the first inning when Victor Mendez's sinking liner to right eluded Miracle outfielder Jeremy Pickerel for a double.

Lakeland's lone run was scored in the fourth when Mendez, reached on an error and came around to score on another miscue, a stolen base and a ground out.

That run proved to be woefully inadequate against an 11 hit Miracle attack that included two home runs, a triple and three doubles.

Both homers came in the fourth inning, a solo blast by Johnny Woodard and a three run shot by Erold Andrus.

Jeff Frazier collected Lakeland's other hit, a single to left in the seventh. The L-Tigers were last held to two hits in a game on Sept. 8, 2002.

Lakeland's next home game is Thursday at 10:35 a.m., when the team will host the Sarasota Reds in an Education Day game.