Miracle takes turn at shutout

Special to the Cape Coral Daily Breeze

CLEARWATER — Starter Jay Rainville and closer Eddie Morlan combined to pitch a four-hit shutout as the Fort Myers Miracle salvaged a 2-0 victory Tuesday night in the finale of the three-game series with the Clearwater Threshers, despite hitting into five double plays.

Rainville went seven innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven. Morlan pitched a perfect eighth and ninth with a pair of strikeouts to pick up his ninth save of the year.

Luis Ugueto lined a triple just inside the first base bag to lead off the Miracle fourth. Ugueto scored two batters later on Edward Ovalle’s RBI-single to left that gave the Miracle an early 1-0 lead.

With one-out and the bases loaded in the seventh, Eli Tintor scored on a wild pitch by Thresher reliever Cory Wylie giving the Miracle their two-run lead. Tintor just eluded the tag of catcher Lou Marson as he lunged up the third base line trying to tag Tintor.

The best scoring chance for Clearwater came in the fourth when Jeremy Slayden roped a double to right, followed by a walk. Rainville got Nic Jackson to pop up to Juan Portes at third before striking out both John Urick and Welinson Baez to end the inning.

Rainville and Morlan combined to retire 18 of the final 19 Thresher hitters.

The Miracle return home to host the Sarasota Reds in a doubleheader at 5:05 p.m Wednesday.