Miracle blast Reds, 13-4

By Special to the Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — A Sunday afternoon ballgame at Hammond Stadium saw the Fort Myers Miracle score eight runs in the third, five in the fifth cruising to a 13-4 blowout of the Sarasota Reds. The Miracle sent a dozen hitters to the plate in the third and another 10 in the fifth earning the series split against the Reds.

The Miracle third began with back-to-back walks issued to Luis Ugueto and Dwayne White. Brian Dinkelman followed with a RBI-single to extend his hitting streak to 14 and give the Miracle 1-0 lead. Juan Portes would be drilled with the bases loaded to pick up the second RBI before a two-run double from Erik Lis and a pair of RBI singles from Danny Valencia and White capped off the first big frame.

Sarasota would respond with three of its four runs in the fourth as Justin Tordi roped a one-out double to right, scoring Tonys Gutierrez and Miguel Perez for the first pair of runs. Gerardo Cabrera quickly followed with a run-scoring single to left reducing the Reds deficit to five.

An error, passed ball and wild pitch helped out in the Miracle fifth. Edward Ovalle led off with a double to right and later scored on Jeff Christy’s RBI single to center. Steve Tolleson and Lis each picked up an RBI single in the inning after Dinkelman kept the inning alive by reaching on an error.

The final Reds run came in the seventh as Danny Dorn picked up an RBI single. The run, charged to reliever Adam Hawes, turned out to be unearned. Hawes went 4.1 innings out of the bullpen Sunday, allowing the one run on six hits in the win.

A three-game road trip for the Miracle will begin on Monday in Lakeland. Game one of the series against the Flying Tigers will see RHP Jeff Manship (4-1, 2.90) take the hill for the Miracle. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.