Miracle come up short against Cubs

Morning workout doesn't result in victory

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

Fort Myers Miracle manager Riccardo Ingram didn't like what he had seen from his ballclub over the last few days. He gathered the guys at 9:30 a.m. Thursday for a workout, to remind them they weren't in rookie ball anymore.

Maybe it woke the Miracle up for Thursday night's Florida State League game, but it still wasn't enough as they fell 7-6 to the Daytona Cubs at the Lee County Sports Complex.

Miracle ace Adam Harben struggled for his second straight start, lasting just two innings and giving up four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out just one.

In the first inning he walked three and gave up an RBI ground out to Brian Dopirak and an RBI single to Paul O'Toole.

Fort Myers answered in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple by Brock Peterson.

In the top of the second, however, Harben gave up a two-run double to Dopirak to make it 4-1.

The Miracle got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI ground out by Ron Perodin.

Daytona took a 6-2 lead with single runs in the third and fourth. Jake Fox's solo homer off of Josh Gray in the third and Gray's bases-loaded walk to Fox in the fourth gave the Cubs a four-run lead.

The Miracle mounted a comeback.

In the bottom of the fourth Kyle Geiger led off with a walk. One out later, Scott Whitrock doubled him home and advanced to third on a throwing error by the left fielder Jeff Culpepper. Jose Leger's sacrifice fly scored Whitrock.

Fort Myers tied it in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor walked and two outs later Geiger smacked a two-run homer over the left-field wall, his fifth of the season, to tie the game 6-all.

In the seventh, however, the Cubs got what would prove to be the winning run.

Culpepper led off with a single to left. He tried to steal second and Jan Granado threw over to first. Peterson threw to second, but Taylor dropped the ball, and Culpepper was safe. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Miracle threatened in the bottom of the seventh with runners at first and third and one out, but Kyle Phillips grounded into a double play.

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

Fort Myers is scheduled to start right-hander Jay Rainville (1-1, 3.75 ERA), while the scheduled starter for Daytona is righty Juan Mateo (7-4, 3.97).