Five doubles lead Miracle to five-in-a-row

By Special to the Naples Daily News

A pair of three runs innings on Thursday night led the Fort Myers Miracle to their fifth consecutive win, a 6-4 decision over the Brevard County Manatees at Hammond Stadium. Miracle starter Jeff Manship tossed seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits, with five strikeouts in the win.

The Miracle struck first in the opening frame as a lead-off double by Steve Tolleson would get the ball rolling. Tolleson would later score on Dustin Martin’s double to right making it 1-0 Miracle. All five hits on the night for the Miracle were of the double variety.

A dropped line drive by Lorenzo Cain in right, off the bat of Edward Ovalle, led to the other two runs in the first. Brevard County would jump on the board in the fifth as a lead-off double from Cole Gillespie would pay off after a Yohannis Perez single to right. Perez scored a two hitters later on a Nestor Corridor ground out to short.

A pair of runs and two more Miracle doubles in the fifth would lead to the final three tallies on the night. Alexander Soto would draw a lead-off walk, move to second on Toby Gardenhire’s sacrifice-bunt, and score easily on Tolleson’s second two-base hit of the night.

Another Manatee error, this one by Perez at short, allowed Tolleson to score the second run of the frame, while Erik Lis cleaned up with his own RBI-double to right for the 6-2 lead. Two groundouts off the bat of Mike Bell would bring the visitors to within two, but Miracle closer Eddie Morlan shut the door in the final 1.1 innings for the save.

The Miracle and Manatees square off again Friday night at a special start time of 6:05 p.m. The Dave Matthews Tribute Band concert will take place after the ball game. The Miracle will send RHP Kyle Waldrop (4-3, 3.19) to the mound.