Miracle post comeback win

By DAVE DEVEREUX
Cape Coral Daily Breeze

With the Fort Myers Miracle trailing the division-leading Dunedin Blue Jays 5-2 entering the bottom of the ninth Monday night, it was a moment when some fans headed for the exit, and others remained in their seats at Hammond Stadium to heckle Dunedin closer Connor Falkenbach.

Most of the comments from fans were at the expense of Falkenbach’s underhand, submarine-style delivery.

As awkward as it appeared, Falkenbach had given the Miracle fits all season.

“He’s done very well against us,” Miracle manager Kevin Boles said. “He has good stuff and it’s a different arm angle, so he’s tough to pick up.”

Facing Falkenbach, who has 24 saves, the Miracle fought back. Danny Valencia started the ninth-inning rally with a single and the next four batters reached base.

Alexander Soto’s two-run single scored Edward Ovalle and Luis Ugueto, tying the game, and Steve Tolleson delivered a walk-off RBI single to left field, completing the comeback victory 6-5.

“That was a team win if we had one all season long,” Tolleson said. “We struggled early in the game and put some good bats together against a tough pitcher. Valencia got it started and everybody else followed him.”

For Tolleson, the rivalry against Falkenbach goes back to college. Tolleson played at South Carolina and Falkenbach at the University of Florida.

“I bet I’ve faced that guy about 50 times,” he said. “I’m used to facing him and I’m tired of it.”

The Miracle (19-19) fell behind 4-0 before scoring two runs in the sixth. They scattered five hits before the offensive surge in the ninth.

Boles said it was one of the most satisfying wins of the season.

“That’s probably the best one,” he said. “It was a tight ballgame the whole way and our guys played real hard tonight.”

Erik Lis, who was expected to be the Miracle’s primary run producer at the start of the season, has bounced back from some early-season struggles.

Lis had an RBI single in the sixth inning and added his 25th double of the season in the eighth. He was named the Twins’ Minor League Player of the Week for July 21-27 after hitting .389 with two doubles, a home run and six RBI in the five-game stretch.

“He’s a left-handed hitter that hits both left and right-handed pitching,” Boles said. “He was in a bit of a funk for awhile, but he’s come out of that and is starting to collect the RBI.”

Lis (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) batted .326 with 16 home runs and 70 RBI last season at Beloit. The 23-year-old leads the Miracle with nine home runs and 63 RBI this season.

Along with Lis, the Miracle have scored runs more consistently in the second half of the season.

The Miracle were last in the Florida State League in batting average, runs scored and home runs through the first half and posted a 30-40 record. With Monday’s win, the Miracle moved to .500 in the second half (19-19) and are 12-6 in the last 18 games.

“We’re doing much better,” outfielder Juan Portes said. “We’re working just as hard as we did the first day of the season.”

Boles said, “Our offense is starting to click a little more. We’re playing a better brand of baseball.”

Tolleson said he hopes the dramatic win over Dunedin (24-13), in the opener of the three-game series, is the beginning of a strong finish for the Miracle.

“Hopefully, it gets us going. Anytime you win against the No. 1 team in your league, it’s big,” Tolleson said. “They’re in a playoff race and we’re trying to make it a race.”