Miracle tie game late but fail to pull out victory

By special to the Fort Myers News Press

VIERA — The Fort Myers Miracle have 13 come-from-behind victories this season.

They almost had their 14th Thursday night.

The Miracle tied the game in the ninth, but the Brevard County Manatees scored a run in the 10th and the Miracle lost 4-3 at Space Coast Stadium.

With the Miracle trailing 3-1 in the top of the ninth Brandon Roberts drew a one-out walk. After J.R. Taylor struck out, David Winfree crushed a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall, his fifth of the season, to tie the game at three. The Miracle, who were 0-38 coming into play when trailing after eight looked like they had all the momentum.

That was until the bottom of the 10th when Colby Miller walked the leadoff man in the inning Ned Yost. Carlos Corporan tried to sacrifice him over, but popped the bunt up to catcher Korey Feiner. Ryan Crew's grounder to first moved Yost to second and Alcidis Escobar ripped a single down the right-field line which scored Yost for the game-winner.

The Miracle, who fell to 20-18 in the second half, got on the board first in the second inning when Taylor led off with a double.

One out later Brock Peterson grounded one over the bag at third for an RBI double and gave the Miracle a 1-0 lead.

The Manatees took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when former Miracle Kyle Phillips singled home Crew to tie the game up. Phillips advanced to second on a single by Brendan Katin.

Hernan Iribarren hit a grounder to the left of third baseman Luke Hughes, who dove, knocked it down, but his throw from his knees to second went into right field which allowed Phillips to score.

The Manatees added an insurance run in the sixth when Escobar reached on an infield single. He stole second and scored on a two-out single by Iribarren. Miracle starter Kyle Waldrop was strong going seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out two.

The same teams meet at 7 tonight at Space Coast Stadium.

The Miracle send right-hander Oswaldo Sosa, making his first start with the Miracle since being called up from Single-A Beloit, to the hill against Manatee lefty Sam Narron (2-2, 3.51).