Miracle score four in ninth to knock Jays 6-5

By Naples Daily News
Press releases

FORT MYERS — Steve Tolleson’s walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth capped off a four-run, five-hit inning as the Fort Myers Miracle came back to defeat the Dunedin Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday night. The win moves the Miracle back to .500 at 19-19 while the Jays see their three-game win streak come to an end.

The rally began with three-straight singles by Danny Valencia, Edward Ovalle and Luis Ugueto in the ninth with Ugueto’s single driving in Valencia to make it a 5-3 ball game. After a walk to Johnny Woodard loaded the bases, Alexander Soto dropped a two-run single to center for the 5-5 tie.

A sacrifice-bunt placed perfectly by Brian Dinkelman moved pinch-runner Dwayne White to third and Soto to second setting up Tolleson. Tolleson then lined a 2-0 pitch from reliever Conner Falkenbach into left for the walk-off game-winner. Falkenbach blew his fifth save in the ninth while suffering his fourth loss of the year.

Dunedin flew out of the gates on Monday night by putting four runs up early on the Miracle. In the first, a sacrifice-fly by Eric Nielsen brought in Anthony Hatch while a two-run blast by Jesus Gonzalez gave the Jays a quick 3-0 lead after two.

A one-out Nielsen double led to the fourth run as Josh Kruezer’s RBI-single to center made it a 4-0 ball game. In the Miracle sixth, a walk to Woodard along with a pair of singles from Soto and Dinkelman loaded the bases with nobody out. Tolleson brought in the first run grounding into a double play, right before Erik Lis’ single to center sliced the lead in half by enabling Soto to score on the play.

A lead-off double by Anthony Hatch in the seventh, error by center-fielder Juan Portes and sacrifice-fly by Carlo Cota gave the Jays their final run and lead of the night at 5-2. Adam Hawes picked up his second win tossing four innings in relief, allowing one unearned run on four hits.

The middle game of the series with Dunedin will take place at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night. On a TK Sports Bar “2-for-1” Tuesday, the Miracle will send RHP Jay Rainville (5-10, 3.60) to the mound against the Jays’ RHP Robert Ray (2-2, 5.45).