Winning streak boosts morale

By Glenn Miller
Fort Myers News-Press

Maybe, just maybe, the Tampa Yankees see the Fort Myers Miracle in their rearview mirror. The Miracle have won eight consecutive games and are still in fourth place in the Florida State League's West Division second-half standings.

The Miracle and Yankees will open a three-game set in Tampa tonight. The eight-game winning streak has carried Fort Myers from three games under .500 to five over, at 28-23. It's five games behind Tampa.

"The guys are building some confidence now," Miracle manager Kevin Boles said Monday. "We told them from Day One there would be some tough spots but eventually it will start to click."

The Miracle didn't click in the first half, going 30-40 and finishing 13 games behind the first-half-champion Sarasota Reds. Suddenly, they have a shot.

"We challenged them about a week ago," Boles said. "If you get hot, we'll be back in it."

The Miracle got hot.

Pitcher Zach Ward, who is 4-15 and leads all of minor-league baseball in losses, has won his past two starts.

"He's pitched well," Boles said. "It seemed like every outing he had one bad inning."

He's done better in the past two games.

"There's no substitute for that winning feeling," Boles said. "We're excited for Zach."

Ward isn't the only player sparking the team.

Pitcher Jeff Manship, after losing back-to-back outings, won last Thursday, beating the Brevard County Manatees, the East Division's first-half champions and second-half leaders.

Outfielder Erik Lis had a 5-for-5 game against Daytona Beach on Aug. 6. Shortstop Steve Tolleson hit .375, with four doubles, over the past 10 games. Outfielder Dustin Martin hit .357, with two homers and eight RBI, in the past 10 games.

Odds and ends

The Miracle are a half-game behind the third-place Clearwater Phillies in the Western Division. ... Fort Myers is winning despite a league-low team batting average of .238. ... The Miracle have scored a league-low 463 runs. ... Fort Myers' team ERA of 3.13 is the league's best. ... The Miracle is fourth in the league in average attendance, at 1,862. ... The Miracle will follow their three-game series in Tampa with a three-game series in Lakeland against the Flying Tigers.