Miracle take two from Threshers

CLEARWATER — The Fort Myers Miracle did something Monday that they hadn't done all season — win both ends of a doubleheader, taking game one 2-1 in eight innings and getting the nightcap 2-0 against the Clearwater Threshers at Bright House Networks Field.

The story of the night was the pitching of the Miracle and the near no-hitter in game two.

Fort Myers held the Threshers to just one hit, a two-out single by Mike Floyd in the fourth inning. Miracle starter Matt Yeatman retired the first eight men he faced before walking Trent Pratt in the third. After walking the leadoff man in the fourth, he got Ryan Barthelemy to line into a double play. The next hitter, Floyd, lined a single to left field.

Yeatman went four innings, allowing the one hit, while walking two and striking out two. Ricky Barrett tossed 2.1 perfect innings for his third victory, and Pat Neskek finished, striking out the only two men he faced to pick up his sixth save.

The Miracle got the only run they needed in the first when Jesus Merchan singled with one out and Elvis Corporan doubled him home. Fort Myers picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Alex Romero led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Merchan.

In game one, the Miracle used the long ball to record the victory. In the second inning, Garrett Guzman ripped one over the right-field wall for his third homer of the season and a 1-0 Miracle lead.

The Threshers answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Miracle starter Justin Olson walked leadoff man Brad Correll and a wild pitch advanced him to second. One out later, Tim Gradoville drove him home with a single to right. Olson pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits, while walking three and striking out eight.

In the eighth, Romero ripped his second homer of the season, to the deepest part of the park in right-center, to put the Miracle ahead 2-1.