Miracle rally falls short

The Fort Myers Miracle fought back from a 3-0 deficit, but the bounces didn't go their way in extra innings, as they lost to the Sarasota Red Sox 4-3 in 10 innings at Ed Smith Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With the score tied at three in the 10th, Hanley Ramirez hit a one out single. He moved to second on a ground out and then stole third. Erik Lohse got Stefan Bailie to hit a slow grounder to second baseman Felix Molina, but the ball glanced off the heel of his glove and Ramirez scored the winning run. The Miracle have dropped their last three extra inning ball games.

The Miracle were shut down for the first six innings against Red Sox starter Luis Mendoza.

They managed just one hit, a two out single by Danny Matienzo in the first, and Mednoza retired 14 in a row until a one out error in the sixth, but the Miracle finally got to him in the seventh. Matienzo led off the inning with a single.

He finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored and extended his hit streak to 10 games. One out later Doug Deeds reached on an error. With two outs, Molina singled home Matienzo and Kaulana Kuhaulua, who returned to club after a brief stint with Double-A New Britain, had an RBI single to make it 3-2.

In the eighth, Alex Romero led off with a double and with one out stole third. Matienzo's sac fly tied the game.

Miracle starter Matt Yeatman was sharp. He went 7.0 innings allowing three runs on six hits while walking four and striking out one. The Red Sox got a two run homer from Jeremy West in the second and an RBI single from Alberto Concepcion in the third off of Yeatman.

The Miracle return home for a four game series against the Palm Beach Cardinals beginning Monday night at 7:05 p.m. The Miracle send LHP Jeff Randazzo (3-8, 5.33) to the mound. The game can be heard on Sports Radio 770 ESPN.