Lis homers, Miracle rip Yankees 9-1

Special to the Cape Coral Daily Breeze

TAMPA — Erik Lis cracked his second home run of the season and finished with four RBI to lead the Fort Myers Miracle to a 9-1 victory over the Tampa Yankees Friday night.

Besides Lis (2-for-4), Edward Ovalle went 2-for-5 with three RBI as the nine runs by the Miracle are a season-high.

Steve Tolleson led off the game with a single to left, scoring on a wild pitch later. After a two-out walk to Whit Robbins and a single by Lis, Ovalle delivered a run-scoring single.

In the third, White pushed a double down the right-field line to extend his hitting streak to 10 straight games. Juan Portes was hit by a pitch before Lis connected for a three-run blast to right for a 5-0 Miracle lead.

The Yankees scored their lone run of the night in the fourth on a bases-loaded single by Francisco Cervilli. Hideki Matsui, on a rehab stint from the parent Yankees, scored from third on the play.

Four more insurance runs came home for the Miracle (7-7) in the sixth and seventh.

Matt Betsill reached base in the sixth on a fielding error by Kevin Russo at second base, allowing Caleb Moore to score on the play. Lis drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh and Ovalle delivered a two-run single to center.

All three Miracle pitchers looked sharp. Jay Rainville tossed 5 1/3 innings allowing just one run on six hits with six strikeouts. Yohan Pino hurled 1 2/3 innings striking out two, while Zach Ward wrapped up the night with two scoreless innings.

The Miracle and Yankees finish off a three-game series Saturday night at Legends Field.