Ovalle lifts Miracle to comeback win

Special to the Cape Coral Daily Breeze

After surrendering four unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning to allow the Sarasota Reds to take a 5-4 lead, the Fort Myers Miracle responded with two in the bottom of ninth for a 6-5 win Friday at Hammond Stadium.

Edward Ovalle delivered a game-winning single to center, sending the soggy crowd of more than 3,000 “Big Splash Day” fans home happy. The Miracle improved to 2-0 in the Florida State League’s second half.

Luis Ugueto led off the Miracle ninth with a pinch-hit double to right. Steve Tolleson laid down a sacrifice bunt that Reds reliever Derrik Lutz threw away, allowing Ugueto to score, tying the game at 5-5. After a passed ball and a ground out by Dwayne White moved Tolleson to third, Ovalle lined a 1-0 fastball back up the middle and Tolleson trotted home with the game-winner.

Sarasota’s four-run eighth resulted in all four runs being unearned, thanks to two Miracle errors in the inning.

The Miracle began the afternoon with three runs in the first inning, thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Whit Robbins and a two-run single by catcher Javi Sanchez. Tolleson gave the Miracle a 4-0 lead with an RBI-triple in the fourth.

The first Reds run came in the fifth as Josh Holden picked up the first of his two RBI with a single to left.

The Miracle now head out on a four-game, four-day road trip that starts Saturday night against the Palm Beach Cardinals. Right-hander Anthony Swarzak (0-0, 1.54) will start for the Miracle.