Miracle lose marathon 20-inning affair to Clearwater

Daily News staff

Night turned in to day and the hours dragged on and when the final out was recorded late Thursday night — well, early Friday morning — the Fort Myers Miracle wound up on the losing end of the longest game in Miracle history. They fell, 4-3, in 20 innings and five hours and two minutes, a game that ended seven minutes past midnight at Hammond Stadium.

The Miracle scored three runs in the first inning and then promptly went 19 straight innings without pushing across a run. The Threshers finally got the game winner in the top of the 20th. Tuffy Goeswisch led off with a walk. Brian Burgamy’s sac bunt went back to the mound, but Josh Hill’s throw to second pulled Trevor Plouffe off the bag and the Threshers had runners at first and second. Matt Thayer then laid down a sac bunt, that was fielded by Hughes and he one hopped the throw to Alexi Casilla covering first, which Casilla bobbled and dropped. Peter Ramos then hit a grounder to the drawn in infield and Plouffe got the force out at the place. Mike Costanza, who was 0-8, grounded a single through the hole between first and second that scored the winning run.

The Miracle jumped out to an early first inning lead. Alexi Casilla reached on an infield single. Trevor Plouffe walked and Ruben Sierra singled to left to load the bases. One out later, Erold Andrus walked with the bases loaded to force home a run. The next batter Brock Peterson drilled a single into the left center field gap that scored two runs and make it 3-0.

Miracle starter Kevin Slowey was on his game. He gave up a solo homer to Brian Sellier in the third inning and cruised until the seventh. He gave up a lead off single to Ramos and then a one out single to Dzurilla that put runners at first and third. Angel Garcia came in and got Brandon Florence on a fielders choice, but it scored the run to make it 3-2.

In the eighth, Avelino Asprilla hit a pinch hit double to right was sacrificed to third by Burgamy and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at three.

Both bullpens were stellar, but the Thresher bullpen went 14 innings allowing just three hits while walking two and striking out 12. The two teams combined for 30 strikeouts on the evening. The Miracle bullpen tossed 13.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits while walking seven and striking out seven.

Casilla tied a Florida State League record for most sacrifice hits in one game, three, which had been done three times prior and the last time was August 25, 1999 by St. Lucie’s Kelly Ramos.

The Miracle used five relievers while the Threshers used seven. Thresher first baseman Dzurilla had 25 put outs, while Brock Peterson had 17 for the Miracle. Miracle shortstop Plouffe led his club with nine assists while Thresher shortstop Brad Harman and second baseman Ramos each had six.

The same two teams meet in the second game of a three game series tonight at 7:05 p.m. The Miracle send LHP Kyle Aselton (0-0, 2.25) to the hill against Thresher LHP Derek Griffith (1-0, 0.00).