Miracle split pair against Lakeland

By Special to The News-Press

Brock Peterson became the hero with an 11th-inning walk-off homer in game two of Friday night's doubleheader as the Fort Myers Miracle defeated the Lakeland Tigers 6-3 at the Lee County Sports Complex.

Lakeland won the first game 3-2 in eight innings.

The Miracle and Tigers both are 1 1/2 games behind Dunedin in the Florida State League West Division.

Lakeland already has clinched a playoff berth as the FSL West first-half champion.

Fort Myers must either win the division or have Lakeland win and finish ahead of Dunedin to make the playoffs.

With the Miracle trailing by a run in the bottom of the 11th inning, Angelo Fermin led off with a walk. Ron Perodin sacrificed him to second and Matt Tolbert singled to center to drive in Fermin and tie the game at 3.

Tolbert advanced to second when the ball got away from the catcher on the throw home. The Tigers intentionally walked Justin Arneson and Trent Oeltjen grounded out to second to moved the runners up a base. Peterson then launched his second homer of the nightcap, a three-run blast over the left-field wall, and his 12th homer of the season.

Lakeland had taken the lead in the top of the 11th on a solo homer by Kelly Hunt, his 16th of the year.

With the game scoreless in the sixth, Peterson hit a solo shot over the left-field wall. Scott Whitrock singled to center and went to third on Jose Leger's single to right. Allen de San Miguel's sacrifice fly scored Whitrock to give the Miracle a 2-0 lead.

Tristan Crawford retired the first two hitters in the seventh and the Miracle were just one out from victory. Kody Kirkland hit a ground ball to second base, but Luke Hughes had trouble fielding it and Kirkland reached on the error. Pinch hitter Garth McKinney hit a moon shot just inside the foul pole in left field for a two-run homer, his 22nd this year.

In the first game, Lakeland took a 2-0 lead. With the game scoreless in the fifth, Juan Gonzalez singled to center. With two outs, McKinney hit an opposite-field homer against Scott Tyler to put the Tigers up 2-0.

The Miracle rallied to tie it in the sixth. Perodin singled and came home on Tolbert's double. Jake Mauer moved Tolbert over before Kyle Geiger singled to center to tie it at 2.

Danilo Sanchez led off the Lakeland eighth with a single to left. Pedro Cotto ran for Sanchez, who moved to second on a ground out. Vincent Blue hit a grounder to second, but Fermin's throw to first was dropped by Mark Zamojc as Cotto scored from second.