Miracle stumble out of gates in 3-2 loss to Lakeland

By Special to the Naples Daily News

LAKELAND — An insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, after an early turning point in the first inning on Tuesday night, led the Lakeland Flying Tigers to a 3-2 win over the Fort Myers Miracle at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland starter Burke Badenhop improved to 4-0 against the Miracle this season behind his six innings, allowing one run on five hits.

The turning point came after the first inning on Tuesday night. In the top of the frame, Brian Dinkelman drew a lead-off walk, followed by back-to-back singles from Steve Tolleson and Juan Portes loaded the bases with nobody out. After Erik Lis flew out to right for the first out, Danny Valencia then grounded into a hard 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Lakeland would take full advantage of the momentum shift with a pair of runs in their first. Deik Scram doubled down the right-field line on the first pitch he saw and would later score on a Michael Hernandez RBI-double in the same spot for a 1-0 lead. Max Leon, who walked and moved to third on Hernandez’s two-base hit, scored on a ground out from Justin Justice making it a two-run game.

The Miracle responded a half-inning later as Dwayne White picked up a two-out single to right and later came around on Alexander Soto’s RBI-double to center, slicing the lead to one. Soto, just added to the Miracle roster on Monday, went 2-for-4 in the defeat.

The much-needed insurance run came in the Flying Tiger eighth as speedster Ovandy Suero slapped a swinging bunt to reach first, and ended up moving to second on reliever David Shinskie’s errant throw to first. Leon then moved Suero to third on a sacrifice-bunt, which resulted in Suero scoring moments later on a Shinskie wild pitch for another two-run lead.

Lakeland closer Freddy Dolsi entered in the ninth and gave up a solo-shot to Johnny Woodard that brought the Miracle back to within at 3-2. Woodard blasted off on a 2-0 fastball from Dolsi picking up his fourth round-tripper of the year. A pair of groundouts and fly out later, Dolsi had his 19th save in a 3-2 Lakeland win.

The rubber game of the series will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night. The Miracle send RHP Jay Rainville (5-9, 3.62) to the mound opposite RHP Eleazar Aponte (2-8, 5.30) for the Flying Tigers. Wednesday’s game can be heard locally in Southwest Florida on SportsRadio 770, ESPN.