Miracle tie win mark

Fort Myers captures 12th consecutive victory

By David Yates
Special to the Fort Myers News-Press

LAKELAND — It's hard to imagine that the same baseball team that lost nine games in a row earlier this season is on the verge of local sports history.

The Fort Myers Miracle tied a franchise record with their 12th consecutive victory Friday night, a 9-4, Florida State League thumping of the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Marchant Stadium.

No professional sports team that has called Fort Myers home has won 13 times in a row, which is exactly what the Miracle will be gunning to do when they face Lakeland on the road again tonight.

Fort Myers has won 25 of its last 35 games and the two players who have spearheaded that charge were back at it again against the Flying Tigers.

Second baseman and leadoff man Brian Dinkelman doubled, singled twice, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs against Lakeland. Dinkelman is hitting .307 since July 11.

Right behind Dinkelman in the batting order and right next to him at shortstop has been Steve Tolleson, who had two hits and a sacrifice fly Friday and is hitting an even loftier .365 since the team's fortunes turned around dramatically that same July date.

"Steve and I are trying to set the table at the top of the order but everyone on this team has been contributing during our streak," said Dinkelman, who was promoted from Beloit just after the All-Star break.

At the lower third of the Miracle batting order, Edward Ovalle had three hits and scored three times, Johnny Woodard singled twice, and Jeff Cristy doubled home two insurance runs in the eighth.

"I have never played on a team that has had its act together like this one has for such a long stretch," said Dinkelman.

With the win, Fort Myers (32-23) remained in the thick of the second-half West Division pennant race, 2 1/2 games behind Dunedin (34-20), one game behind Clearwater (32-21) and just one-half game behind Tampa (33-23), which led the Miracle by seven games earlier in this half.

"Our streak is no accident," said Fort Myers Manager Kevin Boles.

"These guys work hard every day and have made more improvements in their approach to the game during this stretch than any team I have ever been around," said the second-year skipper.

Boles will send Jay Rainville (7-10, 3.24 ERA) to the Marchant Stadium mound at 6 tonight as the Miracle continue their pursuit of history.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA STREAKS

Miracle tie Fort Myers Royals' 1982 and Florida Everblades' 1999 record of 12 consecutive wins. The FSL record of 22 straight wins was set by the St. Petersburg Cardinals in 1966.