Blue Jays halt Miracle win streak at 7 games

Fort Myers falls to 3-1 in season's second half

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

DUNEDIN — The Fort Myers Miracle couldn't quite get off to the 6-0 start they managed in the first half of the season, as they lost to the Dunedin Blue Jays 7-4 in a Florida State League game Sunday at Knology Park.

The Miracle entered Sunday having won seven in a row and were 3-0 in the second half, but the Blue Jays were also undefeated at 4-0. Justin Jones, who came to the Twins' organization from the Chicago Cubs as part of a four-team trade in 2004, made his first start in a Miracle uniform. Jones, who began the season at extended spring training nursing a shoulder injury, allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk over four innings.

The Blue Jays scored in the first inning on a two-out single by Adam Lind, followed by an RBI double by Eric Arnold.

The Miracle tied it in the second on Scott Whitrock's 10th homer of the season, a solo shot off the scoreboard in left-center field. They took the lead in the third when J.R. Taylor led off with a single to right. He moved to second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Two outs later, he scored on an RBI single from Trent Oeltjen.

The Blue Jays took the lead for good in the fourth when Arnold led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Joey Reiman. One out later, Tim Whittaker singled home Arnold. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rodney Medina's infield single scored Reiman to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead.

Arnold added a two-run homer in the fifth to give the Blue Jays a 5-2 lead.

The Miracle pulled to within 5-4 in the sixth. Kyle Geiger led off with a single to center. Oeltjen then hit a grounder to second, but Manny Mayorson's throw to second went into left field and that put runners at second and third. Whitrock's RBI single scored Geiger and sent Oeltjen to third. Oeltjen then scored on Brock Peterson's single.

Whitrock finished the game 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and a run scored. Taylor was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.