Miracle start second half of FSL with momentum

By DEREK REDD
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — It's the second half of the 2005 season, but for the Fort Myers Miracle and the rest of the Florida State League, it's just like starting over.

The records were wiped clean Wednesday as the league pushed one big "reset" button. In the FSL, the teams' records go back to 0-0 at the season's halfway point, which gives everyone, including the surging Miracle, another chance for a playoff berth.

"It's a pretty good deal in minor league baseball," manager Riccardo Ingram says. "If a team starts out hot, it's rewarded, and if new players come in during the season, they have a chance for the playoffs, too. Getting called up to another level to a team 20 games back is probably no fun."

The Miracle, who won 3-2 at Clearwater on Thursday night, finished the first half 6 1/2 games back of first-half West Division champion Lakeland. But Fort Myers won four straight, including two against Lakeland, to end the first half.

Outfielder Justin Armeson says that's given the team a nice confidence boost to begin the second half.

"Our starting pitching has been great and our batting and our relief is coming around," Armeson says. "We've known we can play with these guys all along."

The top teams in each division in each half of the season make the FSL playoffs. If Lakeland wins the second half, the team with the next-best second-half record makes the postseason.

PRIMO PITCHING

Pitching carried the Miracle through the season's first half as the staff threw a league-best eight shutouts, and pitching coach Eric Rasmussen says the pitchers' effectiveness came from everyone knowing their role.

"We have five starters who are all very different," he says. "As long as they stay within their stuff, they pitch well."

BLACKBURN'S BONANZA

Miracle pitcher Nick Blackburn was the team's highlight at last weekend's FSL All-Star Game in Clearwater. Blackburn gave up one hit and struck out one in the second, earning the win.

Miracle rally late, edge Threshers, 3-2

The Fort Myers Miracle opened the second half of the Florida State League season with a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Clearwater Threshers.

The Miracle, opening a six-game road trip, trailed 1-0 in the eighth when pinch-hitter Matt Moses drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tying run. Scott Whitrock was thrown out at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run on a shallow flyout to right by Brock Peterson.

The Threshers took the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Jake Blalock off Jay Sawatski.

Down to their final out, the Miracle's J.R. Taylor tripled to right-center to drive home Whitrock. Trent Oeltjen followed with a double to score Taylor, giving the Miracle their first lead of the night.