Miracle split doubleheader; Yanks' Giambi goes 1-for-5

By Special to the Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — After two days of delays brought on by shower and thunderstorms, the Fort Myers Miracle and Tampa Yankees were finally able to play baseball delay-free on Saturday night. The Yankees used three unearned runs in the opening game for a 4-1 win while the Miracle used a three-run blast from Johnny Woodard in the 4-2 nightcap victory.

The Yankees' Jason Giambi, playing for Tampa on a rehabilitation assignment from a foot injury, played in both games of the doubleheader as the designated hitter, going a combined 1-for-5, with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. He had an RBI double in the second game.

GAME 1: TAMPA 4, MIRACLE 1

Tampa batted around in the second while jumping out to a three-run lead. Marcos Vechionacci struck out but reached first on a passed ball by Miracle catcher Jeff Christy. Jared Greenwood made the Miracle pay moments later with a RBI-triple to center giving the Yanks a 1-0 lead.

After a fielder’s choice by Robbie Minor and a single to Chris Kunda kept the inning alive, back-to-back RBI-singles from Austin Jackson and Chris Malec gave Tampa the three-run advantage.

A lead-off walk to Brian Dinkelman in the Miracle sixth and a wild pitch from reliever David Robertson would eventually lead to the first run in the opener. Steve Tolleson picked up the RBI single to center moments later to get the Miracle within two at 3-1.

Yankee insurance in the form of Edwar Gonzalez’s RBI single in the seventh gave Tampa their final margin of 4-1. Starter Anthony Claggett tossed five innings in the win, allowing three hits while striking out two.

GAME 2: MIRACLE 4, TAMPA 2

The Miracle jumped on the board first in the nightcap as Toby Gardenhire started things in the second with a one-out walk. After a Dinkelman infield-single, Erik Lis came through with a two-out single to center for an early 1-0 lead.

After a lead-off single from Reegie Corana in the Tampa fourth, Giambi would pick up his only hit of the night, an RBI double to left-center, tying the contest at one.

A hit-by-pitch and intentional walk in the Miracle sixth set the comeback stage for Woodard. After chasing a 3-1 breaking ball that would have resulted in ball four, reliever Wilkins Arias left a fastball belt-high that Woodard demolished over the wall in right for a 4-1 lead. Woodard’s fifth blast of the season turned out to be his first at Hammond Stadium.

The Miracle will enjoy Sunday off before resuming the homestand on Monday against the Dunedin Blue Jays. Monday is a Potts Sports Café “Miracle Monday Club” night along with the ever-popular post-game flip-flop scramble after the 7:05 p.m. opener between the Miracle and Jays.