Miracle defeats Tampa Yankees, 2-1

By Special to the Naples Daily News

On Saturday night it was great pitching along with a little small ball for the Fort Myers Miracle leading them to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Yankees. Miracle starter Kyle Waldrop tossed seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six to pick up his second win of the season. Frank Mata would pitch a perfect eighth and ninth to record his first save on the year. With the win, the Miracle grab their fourth-straight series win by taking two of three at Legends Field.

Tampa struck in the first with their only run as Hideki Matsui grounded into a 5-4-3 double play that scored Reegie Corona from third. Corona led off the inning with an infield single and moved to third on a Luis Nunez single to right. Making his final rehab start, Matsui played seven innings on Saturday going 1-for-3 with a single. Matsui is scheduled to rejoin his big league teammates on Monday at Tropicana Field.

The Miracle would tie things at one just a half-inning later. Whit Robbins led off the second with a single to center, followed by an Erik Lis double to left. With the runners at second and third, Edward Ovalle would groundout to Nunez at second bringing home Robbins with the tying run.

Things would stay the same until the Miracle eighth. Small ball executed perfectly by the top of the lineup gave the Miracle their decisive second run. Steve Tolleson led off with a walk and moved to second on Dwayne White’s sacrifice bunt. Trailing with a 1-2 count, Juan Portes would slice a single to right scoring Tolleson with the go-ahead run.

Four hitting steaks continued for the Miracle on Saturday night. White pushed his to a season-high 11 games with a single in the third. Robbins, 3-for-3 on the night, advanced his streak to seven games, while Lis moves to five-straight and Jeff Christy extended his to four.

The Miracle will enjoy a day off on Sunday before returning to action at home on Monday night opening up a three-game series with the Clearwater Threshers. Monday will be the third Potts Sports Café “Miracle Monday Club” night of the season with the first pitch at 7:05 p.m.