Miracle rally falls short in 10th against Tigers

By Special to The Fort Myers News Press

The Fort Myers Miracle rallied from a 4-0 deficit against the Lakeland Tigers on Saturday night to force extra innings, only to lose the game 5-4 on a balk and a botched pick-off attempt.

In the 10th inning, Miracle reliever J.P. Martinez walked leadoff man Clete Thomas. He went to second on a balk and Martinez intentionally walked Jeff Larish.

Martinez got Garth McKinney to foul out. He then tried to pick Thomas off at second, but threw the ball into center field. Center fielder Justin Arneson overran the ball, allowing Thomas to score.

The Miracle (34-28) fell behind 4-0 after two innings when Anthony Swarzak was roughed up in the second. Swarzak gave up a two-run home run to Nick McIntyre and a sacrifice fly, and balked in a run.

The Miracle were stifled by Lakeland starter Jair Jurrjens, who entered play 5-0, with a 2.01 ERA. They managed just two hits through six innings.

Brock Peterson's sixth homer got Fort Myers on the board in the seventh. Deacon Burns added an RBI single.

Jeff Hahn relieved Jurrjens and walked Korey Feiner and hit Arneson to load the bases. Trevor Plouffe then hit a high chopper off the plate that Hahn couldn't handle.

In the ninth, Burns led off with a single and was balked to second. Pinch hitter Jeremy Pickrel advanced Burns to third on a ground out and Arneson followed with a walk.

One out later, Tolbert singeled to score Burns and send the game into extra innings.