L-Tigers Rally Past Miracle With Strong Relief Effort

LAKELAND -- The Lakeland Tigers roared back from an early six-run deficit to clip the Fort Myers Miracle, 7-6, at Marchant Stadium on Monday.

Although a downpour made conditions treacherous, the game featured spectacular catches by Tiger center fielder Victor Mendez and Miracle left fielder Doug Deeds.

It also had outstanding relief pitching, with Lakeland winning the game in the bottom of the ninth, when Fort Myers committed two errors.

The Miracle used a Danny Matienzo home run and a five-run second-inning rally to move out to a 6-0 lead.

All six runs were scored off Tiger starter Corey Hamman (6-4).

Miracle right-hander Nick Blackburn was equally ineffective, surrendering one run in the second and four more in the third, as both Gilberto Mejia and Brent Clevlen took Blackburn deep.

Lakeland then tied the game in the eighth on a Scott Moore blast into the Miracle bullpen. The L-Tigers won it an inning later when Mejia reached second on one error and raced home when reliever Pat Neshek (0-1) threw Mendez's sacrifice bunt down the third base line for a second Miracle miscue.

Landon Harper, Felipe Garcia, Brian Hensen and Damien Myers (1-0) gave their team a chance to come back by holding the Miracle scoreless over the last seven innings.

Lakeland (19-36, 48-75) will try to earn a sweep of its two-game series with Fort Myers (25-32, 56-69) tonight at 7, when right-hander Jeremy Johnson is expected to oppose Miracle southpaw Jeff Randazzo (3-11).