Fort Myers hopes offense explodes

By Chris Umpierre
Fort Myers News Press

With his team mired in a season-long offensive quagmire, Fort Myers Miracle manager Kevin Boles stressed again and again that his hitters need to become more aggressive, particularly on fastballs.

The Miracle got aggressive Sunday by ripping a season-high 15 hits in a 9-6 win over the Clearwater Threshers. Outfielder Dwayne White blasted two homers, doubling his season total.

Boles hopes the breakout game will help turn around his club's offensive struggles.

Through 88 games, the Miracle are in last place in the 12-team Florida State League in the following offensive categories: average (.224), home runs (35), RBI (262), on-base percentage (.606) and runs (296).

Fort Myers doesn't have an everyday player batting above .255. The team has been shut out 16 times and has scored just one run in 10 of its games.

Nevertheless, the Miracle have been in 32 one-run games (Fort Myers is 13-19 in those contests).

"That's a credit to our pitching staff. They've kept us in a lot of ballgames," Boles said. "We're looking for things to improve offensively."

Fort Myers' pitching staff has been doing its part. The club is first in the league in team ERA (2.97), fourth in strikeouts (677) and second in WHIP (1.26). Miracle pitcher Zach Ward has been a tough-luck loser all season. He is 2-11, despite a 3.08 ERA.

ALL-STAR ALUMNI

The Miracle will have four alumni participate in tonight's major-league All-Star Game in San Francisco. All-Stars David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox DH/first baseman), Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins first baseman) and Torii Hunter (Twins outfielder) played for the Miracle. Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, who will help coach the National League squad, managed the Miracle from 1990-91, when they were based in Miami. Fort Myers almost had a fifth alumnus make the All-Star Game but Twins right-hander Pat Neshek lost out in the "Final Vote" contest.

SMIT IN ROTATION

Highly regarded Twins farmhand Alexander Smit made his second start for the Miracle on Monday. Smit is fully recovered from a sprained foot that bothered him earlier this season. "We're looking to get him more innings," Boles said. "He's a left-handed pitcher with a sneaky fastball. He's an interesting guy. A lot of upside."