Miracle fall 7-4, end homestand at 3-6

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

The Fort Myers Miracle hoped to make a run at the Florida State League West Division title during their nine-game homestand.

Instead, the Miracle lost 7-4 to the Daytona Cubs on Sunday at the Lee County Sports Complex to finish the homestand 3-6.

The game was tied at 1 going into the fourth inning. The Cubs got a home run from Issmael Salas, while Trent Oeltjen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the Fort Myers run.

A botched pickoff play in the top of the fourth put Daytona's Scott Moore on third, where Jake Fox's infield single brought him home.

The Cubs made it 5-1 with a three-run sixth. Brian Dopirak hit a solo homer, his 12th of the season, Tony Richie had an RBI single and Salas added a sacrifice fly.

Fort Myers' Ron Perodin's single, the third of the inning, got the Miracle within 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth.

The Cubs got two runs in the seventh. Julio DePaula hit the leadoff batter, Enrique Cruz, and Moore singled to right to put runners at first and third.

DePaula's pickoff attempt at first went awry as Cruz scored. Carlos Rojas added an RBI single.

The Miracle scored two in the eighth. With one out, Perodin reached on an error. Matt Tolbert walked to put runners at first and second. Luke Hughes singled to right, and right fielder J.J. Johnson had the ball roll under his glove and go to the wall as both runners scored.

After a day off today, Fort Myers heads to the east coast to open a series Tuesday night with the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Stadium.