Miracle pitchers handcuff Threshers

Victory secures 3-game sweep of Clearwater

By Special to The News-Press

The Fort Myers Miracle are trying to ride their strong arms down the stretch right into a playoff berth.

Anthony Swarzak continued the trend Thursday night, hurling the Miracle to a 1-0 victory over the Clearwater Threshers at the Lee County Sports Complex, completing a three-game sweep.

Swarzak, who was looking for his first Florida State League victory, was stellar all night. He went seven shutout innings allowing six hits while striking out eight. He used just 92 pitches, throwing 66 for strikes.

Swarzak ran into trouble in the second inning, but a great defensive play prevented the Threshers from scoring and appeared to give him confidence the rest of the way.

Swarzak gave up two singles and had runners at first and second with two outs in the second. Carlos Rodriguez singled to center and Brad Correll tried to score from second. Scott Whitrock, who leads the FSL in outfield assists with 17, gunned the ball to the plate and beat Correll by 15 feet.

The Miracle wasted little time scoring their run after that. In the third, Justin Arneson bunted for a single. He stole second and scored on an RBI triple by Angelo Fermin.

It was the only run either team would score.

Swarzak retired 11 in a row from the third until a one out single in the sixth inning.

The only other hits he gave up were a single to Correll in the seventh and a two-out bunt single to Greg Isaacson in the sixth. He got Rodriguez to fly out to left to end the sixth.

Josh Gray tossed the final two innings, allowing just one hit, and picked up his first career save.

The Miracle welcome the Lakeland Tigers into the Lee County Sports Complex today for a 5:05 p.m. doubleheader. Single games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Fort Myers will start right-hander Scott Tyler (5-7, 4.00 ERA) in the first game. The Miracle did not name a second-game starter.

Fort Myers trails first-place Dunedin by one game in the FSL West Division, and are tied for second with Lakeland.

The Miracle need to finish in first, or at least ahead of Dunedin if Lakeland wins the division, to make the FSL playoffs. Lakeland already has qualified for the playoffs as the first-half West Division champion.