Lakeland sweeps Miracle
3-2, 2-1

Two losses all but end first-half playoff hopes

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

The Fort Myers Miracle were all but eliminated from the Florida State League Western Division race for the first half after being swept in a doubleheader Saturday night in Lakeland.

After losing by scores of 3-2 and 2-1, Fort Myers trails Lakeland by seven games with eight to play in the first half.

The Tigers put up all three runs in the first two innings of the opener, including solo homers by Derek Nicholson and Garth McKinney.

Denard Span scored on a wild pitch and Matt Moses singled in J.R. Taylor to account for the Fort Myers runs.

Miracle starter Errol Simonitsch went six innings allowing three runs on four hits, while walking two and striking out five.

Fort Myers' game two starter, Glen Perkins, gave up one run in seven innings while striking out a career-high 14 batters.

Kelly Hunt's home run was the only tally off Perkins, taken by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2004 draft.

Kyle Geiger singled, moved to third on Felix Molina's single and scored on an errant pickoff attempt by Molina in the second inning.

In the eighth inning — extra innings for what had been scheduled as a seven-inning contest, reliever Jay Sawatski walked Juan Gonzalez with one out. A throwing error on a pickoff play allowed Gonzalez to reach second. Juan Francia singled to center, scoring Gonzalez to end the game.

The same two teams meet at 5 tonight. The Miracle send All-Star right-hander Nick Blackburn (5-3, 3.43 ERA) to the hill.