Miracle succumb 5-2 against Port St. Lucie

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Fort Myers Miracle dropped a 5-2 Florida State League game to the St. Lucie Mets at Tradition Field on Friday.

The Mets got a big two-out base hit from Jamar Hill in the bottom of the first. With runners at second and third, Hill lined a double to left-center to put the Mets on top 2-0.

Port St. Lucie added two runs in the fifth. Tristan Crawford hit leadoff man Tyler Davidson. Wilson Batista followed with a chopper over the head of third baseman Matt Moses, putting runners at first and second. Jonathon Slack loaded the bases with a tapper in front of the plate that he beat out. Dante Brinkley's infield single to Moses at third scored the first run and Andy Wilson's sacrifice fly made it 4-0.

Crawford went five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out a career-high nine.

Fort Myers scored its two runs in the eighth when Kyle Geiger blasted a two-run homer — his second in as many nights and fourth of the season.

The Miracle did send the tying man to the plate later in the inning when Ron Perodin singled and Matt Tolbert walked, but J.R. Taylor flew out to center and Moses grounded out to first.

Kyle Phillips extended his hitting streak to 10 games and Brock Peterson stretched his streak to seven games with a hit.

Weather permitting, the the four-game series will conclude at 7 tonight.

Fort Myers will send left-hander Jan Granado (4-1, 2.57) to the hill against Mets right-hander Philip Humber (2-6, 4.99).