Miracle shut out Palm Beach 8-0

Miracle starting pitcher Manny Tejada tossed seven scoreless innings Wednesday night to help Fort Myers blank the Palm Beach Cardinals 8-0 in Florida State League baseball at the Lee County Sports Complex.

Tejada, who gave three hits while walking two and striking out three, allowed just one runner to advance past second base. He threw 86 pitches, 56 for strikes.

The Miracle provided Tejada (3-3) all the run support he needed in the second inning.

After reaching on a single, Kaulana Kuhaulua attempted a steal. Palm Beach catcher Jason Motte threw the ball into center field, and Kuhaulua moved to third. Cardinals center fielder Reid Gorecki followed with an errant throw to third, allowing Kuhaulua to score.

The Miracle made it 4-0 in the third. They sent eight men to the plate, highlighted by Danny Matienzo’s two-run double.

They tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Kuhaulua and a solo home run from Felix Molina. They added two more runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Brett Tamburrino and an RBI single from Kuhaulua.

Fort Myers’ Alex Romero extended his hitting streak to eight games, going 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Kuhaulua finished with three hits and Garrett Guzman collected two.

The same two teams meet at 7 tonight at the Lee County Sports Complex.

The Miracle will send left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-8, 4.31 ERA) against Cardinals left-hander Buddy Blair (6-6, 4.55).