Clearwater's 14 hits down Miracle

By Special to Fort Myers News-Press

CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Threshers piled up 14 hits in an 8-4 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle on Monday in Florida State League action.

The Miracle scored first as Brian Dinkelman led off the game with a triple. Juan Portes followed with an RBI ground out to give the Miracle a 1-0 lead.

Clearwater responded with a solo home run by Shaun Boyd in the bottom of the first to tie the game.

Edward Ovalle answered the Boyd blast with one of his own, a solo-shot leading off the second, putting the Miracle back up, at 2-1. A pair of Thresher runs a half-inning later made it a 3-2 game after two innings.

Clearwater broke the game open with four runs in the sixth inning. Clay Harris started the rally with a double to left. Jason Donald, Matt Thayer, John Suomi and Brad Harman followed with four consecutive singles for a 5-3 lead. Donald, Thayer and Harman picked up the RBI, and Suomi scored minutes later on a wild pitch.

Portes extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a two-out single in the eighth.

Thresher starter Alex Concepcion went seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits, with nine strikeouts, in the win. The Miracle fanned 13 times in the loss.

The Miracle will have a day off day today, with the major-league All-Star Game being played in San Francisco.

A four-game homestand will begin for the Miracle on Wednesday as Jupiter will make its only visit to Hammond Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., with right-hander RHP Zach Ward (2-11, 3.08 ERA) slated to start for the Miracle.