Yankees top Miracle in 10

By Special to the Fort Myers News Press

The Fort Myers Miracle got a taste of playoff atmosphere baseball, but the outcome was not what they hoped for as they blew a one-run lead in the ninth and lost 4-3 in 10 innings to the Tampa Yankees.

The Miracle entered play tied for first and when the contest was over they found themselves a game behind the Dunedin Blue Jays and fell to 32-25.

They lost their third consecutive game for only the second time this season.

With the Miracle leading 3-2 in the ninth, closer J.P. Martinez walked Rudy Guillen to start the inning. Luis Nunez followed with a single to left and P.J. Pilittere drove home Guillen to tie the game at 3. After a strikeout to Hector Made, Martinez gave up the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Chris Malec.

The Miracle tied it in the bottom of the ninth when Jeremy Pickrel led off with a double to right-center. Pickrel finished the night 3-for-4, with a double and two runs scored. He was sacrificed to third by Luke Hughes and scored on an RBI single by Deacon Burns.

Burns then stole second, but forgot how many outs there were when Korey Finer lined out to right and Burns was halfway around third. The Yankees doubled up Burns at second to end the inning.

The Yankees scored a run against Ryan Callahan in the 10th when Edwar Gonzalez hit a one-out infield single. He went to third on a double by Guillen. After an intentional walk to Nunez to load the bases, Pilittere's sacrifice fly gave the Yankees the lead.

The Miracle had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the inning when Alexi Casilla led off with a single. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Arneson, but Kyle Geiger flew out to right and Brock Peterson ended the game with a ground out to third.

The Miracle jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fifth when Matt Tolbert and Pickrel led off with back-to-back singles. Hughes sacrificed them over and Burns was intentionally walked to load the bases. Feiner's sacrifice fly gave the Miracle a 1-0 lead and Casilla then had an RBI single.

The Yankees finally scored against Miracle starter Anthony Swarzak in the sixth when Brett Gardner led off with a walk, moved to third on a single by Ramiro Pena and scored on a ground out from Gonzalez. Swarzak was strong going six innings, allowing one run on five hits while walking one and striking out eight.

The teams will meet at 6 tonight. The Miracle will start right-hander Kevin Slowey (2-1, 1.33 ERA) against righty William Horne (3-2, 4.99 ERA).