Thirteen hits not enough as Miracle fall to Rays, 7-4

By Naples Daily News press releases

Despite double-digit hits for the fourth-consecutive ball game the Fort Myers Miracle were unable to overcome Sergio Pedroza’s two home runs as the Vero Beach Devil Rays picked up a 7-4 win on Monday night. Good news is all three Miracle runs came on solo blasts, while the bad news is the four-game win streak comes to an end.

Brian Dinkelman led the contest off with his third home run of the season to put the Miracle up 1-0. In the Rays first, the initial pitch of the night from Miracle starter Zach Ward drilled Jackson Brennan to put the lead off man aboard.

Josh Paul, on rehab from Tampa Bay, sent a groundball right to back to Ward on the mound for what looked like a double play. Ward’s throw however ended up in shallow centerfield, so instead of two outs recorded, the Rays had runners at first and second with no one out.

Rhyne Hughes followed with a single to left, scoring Brennan, tying the contest at one apiece. After Aaron Sisk grounded out to Dinkelman at second, Pedroza would make the Miracle pay with his first round-tripper, a three-run shot to center. Neil Walton slapped an RBI-single in the second to give Vero Beach a quick 5-1 lead.

Long balls from Steve Tolleson and Erik Lis in the third brought the Miracle within two at 5-3, but quickly relinquished the two runs back to the Rays in their sixth. Pedroza led off with an opposite-field shot to left to make it 6-3. J.T. Hall then struck out against Rob Delaney, but ended up reaching on a wild pitch to keep the inning alive. Walton followed moments later with a RBI-triple to right moving the margin to four.

A Miracle comeback would be underway in the ninth as Dinkelman walked, Tolleson singled and Juan Portes was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Lis then picked up his second RBI with a fielder’s choice to first, but one pitch later, Danny Valencia’s fielder’s choice to short ended the ball game as Lis was forced out at second.

The Miracle left 10 runners stranded in the loss as Dinkelman’s hit-streak moved to nine while Tolleson’s advanced to seven. Ward was roughed up in a rare five innings of work allowing five runs and four hits, picking up his league-leading 13th loss. Al Reyes, also on rehab from Tampa Bay, gave up Dinkelman’s shot to center in his only inning of work.

Game three happens on Tuesday night as the Miracle send RHP Oswaldo Sosa to the mound with a 4-5 record and a league-best 2.20 ERA. The Rays will counter with another Tampa Bay rehabber in RHP Doug Waechter (0-1, 11.50). First pitch at Holman Stadium is set for 7 p.m.