Miracle take aim at Western Division title

By David Dorsey
Fort Myers News Press

The Fort Myers Miracle baseball team has 20 regular-season games remaining, more than enough to gain the ground needed to appear in the Florida State League playoffs.

"It's definitely crunch time," outfielder Scott Whitrock said. "We look at the (Western Division) standings, and we know we have to win two-out-of-three for the rest of the year."

Entering tonight's 7:05 game at the Lee County Sports Complex against the Clearwater Threshers, the Miracle have a 25-23 record.

The Miracle, the Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, and the Threshers, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies, will begin a seven-game homestand today, including a doubleheader Friday against Lakeland.

The first-place Lakeland Tigers are 26-20, and the Dunedin Blue Jays are 27-22.

Because Lakeland already secured a postseason berth by winning the league's first half of the season, the Miracle need only to pass Dunedin in the standings.

"It's up to us," Whitrock said. "We want to make the playoffs."

Miracle manager Riccardo Ingram said the goal isn't just to pass Dunedin in the standings for second place, which would guarantee a spot in the four-team playoffs.

"If Lakeland wins overall, we just have to be better than Dunedin," Ingram said. "But if we win the second half of the season outright, it won't matter. That's the objective."

Rotation set

Right-hander Jay Rainville will start for the Miracle tonight, with left-hander Justin Jones scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, right-hander Anthony Swarzak at 7:05 p.m. Thursday and righty Adam Harben set for 5:05 p.m. Friday.

Rainville sharp

Ingram said Rainville has been impressive since being promoted from low-Class A Beloit.

The 39th overall pick in the June 2004 draft, Rainville has a 3-1 record, with a 2.12 ERA and 20 strikeouts, with just three walks, in five starts.

"In the one loss, he pitched well, and we had a chance to win," Ingram said. "He really goes after it."

Question of command

Harben will enter his scheduled start Friday with an 8-5 record, a 2.55 ERA and 105 strikeouts, by far the most on the current roster, with RHP Scott Tyler ranking second with 92.

Harben, however, also leads the team with 55 walks.

"He just needs to get a little more command on his pitches," Ingram said. "That's the difference between him and the other guys who got called up."

Those other guys — promoted to Double-A New Britain — are lefties Glen Perkins and Errol Simonitsch, and righty Nick Blackburn.

Jake Mauer's back

Infielder Jake Mauer, the older brother of Twins catcher Joe Mauer, joined the Miracle on Monday.

Jake Mauer, who hit .279 for the Miracle in 2003, played last season in New Britain but has missed the bulk of this season with an elbow injury.