Miracle make it three-straight with 5-2 win in Sarasota

By Special to the Naples Daily News

SARASOTA — A two-run blast by Luis Ugueto in the top of the fourth gave the Fort Myers Miracle the lead for good in a 5-2 win over the Sarasota Reds Thursday night at Ed Smith Stadium. Ugueto, along with Danny Valencia, had two hits and a pair of RBI as the Miracle picked up their third-straight win, having now won seven of their last eight.

A quick start by the Miracle in the first would lead to the game’s first run. Steve Tolleson drew a lead-off walk and motored to third on a Juan Portes double to left. Valencia would follow a couple hitters later by plating Tolleson with his RBI-single to left, giving the Miracle a 1-0 lead.

Sarasota would bounce back with a run in the second and third to take their only lead of the night. B.J. Szymanski had the RBI-single to left in the second, while Danny Dorn’s run-scoring single to center an inning later gave the Reds a 2-1 lead. Cody Strait led off the third with a walk and stole second before scoring the go-ahead run on Dorn’s hit.

After Edward Ovalle picked up an infield-single with one out in the Miracle fourth, Ugueto would connect on his second home run of the season putting the Miracle back on top at 3-2. A RBI-triple from Valencia in the fifth, along with Jeff Christy’s sacrifice-fly in the sixth, gave the Miracle a bit of insurance in the 5-2 win.

Kyle Aselton, making the spot-start on Thursday, tossed four innings allowing the two Reds runs on three hits. David Shinskie followed by throwing three frames allowing just two hits and striking out three. Rob Delaney picked up the save by working the final two innings, giving up one hit while fanning four.

The same two teams meet an hour earlier on Friday night in Sarasota. The Miracle will look for their second four-game win streak in nine day as the 6 p.m. contest pits RHP Jay Rainville (5-9, 3.75) for the Miracle against the Reds RHP Robert Manuel (5-3, 3.16).