Rain Washes Out Early 5-0 Lead

LAKELAND -- It was easy to explain why rain suspended Lakeland's Florida State League game with Fort Myers Tuesday night.

Three Tigers home runs in the first inning were hit so high they might have disturbed the atmosphere above Joker Marchant Stadium.

In a space of seven pitches, Victor Mendez, Brent Clevlen, and Chris Maples all took Miracle starter Jeff Randazzo high and far over the left field wall as Lakeland matched a season high with a five-run game-opening explosion.

Gilberto Mejia, Mike Rabelo, and David Mattle singled among around all those long balls, as the L-Tigers equaled the five runs they scored against Sarasota in a 12-7 win on April 19.

Lakeland starter Jeremy Johnson seemed on his way to a third win, when a sudden shower quickly rendered the field unplayable with two outs and Kaulana Kuhaulua at bat in the top of the second inning.

The game will be resumed in Fort Myers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, because the Miracle do not play in Lakeland again this season. In an oddity, the L-Tigers will be the home team at Bill Hammond Stadium, at least for the duration of the suspended game. The Miracle will then be the home team for the second game of Monday's doubleheader.

In the meantime, the L-Tigers will play host to Sarasota tonight and Thursday night at 7, weather permitting, of course. Mike Howell (2-8, 8.18) is expected to start tonight's encounter with the Red Sox, who are battling Tampa and Dunedin for the second-half West Division pennant. Sarasota started play Tuesday one-half game behind the front-running Yankees and one game ahead of the third-place Blue Jays.