Miracle hold Reds to single run

By special to Fort Myers News-Press

SARASOTA — Fort Myers Miracle starter Jay Rainville went 6 2/3 innings on Thursday night while closer Eddie Morlan went the rest of the way as the two hurlers shut down the Sarasota Reds in a 2-1 win at Ed Smith Stadium.

Rainville gave up a run on five hits, with seven strikeouts in the win. Morlan picked up his 18th save, facing the final eight hitters.

The Miracle runs came early as a two-out single from Danny Valencia in the second kept the inning alive. After Edward Ovalle was hit by a pitch from Reds starter Sean Watson, Dwayne White connected on a 3-2 pitch with two outs for a hit to left, scoring Valencia for a 1-0 lead.

In the Miracle fourth, three straight hits from Juan Portes, Valencia and Ovalle loaded the bases for White. White hit into a double play, but Portes scored.

Rainville surrendered his lone run in the seventh. Tonys Gutierrez led off with a single and scored on Anthony Esquer's two-out base hit.

Fort Myers received some help from Clearwater as the Threshers swept a doubleheader from first-place Dunedin. The Miracle climbed within five games of Dunedin in the second-half FSL West playoff race.