Miracle earn doubleheader split with 3-1 win in second game

By Special to the Naples Daily News

The Fort Myers Miracle and Sarasota Reds each picked up a 3-1 win on Wednesday night splitting a Florida State League doubleheader at Hammond Stadium. Reds starter Johnny Cueto threw a complete game four-hitter in the opener while a pair of back-to-back doubles gave the Miracle a victory in the nightcap.

GAME 1: SARASOTA 3, MIRACLE 1

Cueto threw his first complete game of the season as Sarasota took the opener 3-1. Wednesday marked the second time in three days, an opposing hurler has went the distance. After a lead off single from Mike Griffin followed by a walk to Mike DeJesus, the FSL’s leader in doubles Jay Bruce, now with 26 on the year, slugged his first of three on the night, scoring Griffin and DeJesus for an early 2-0 Sarasota lead.

The Miracle cut that lead in half as Steve Tolleson led off the bottom of the first with a single to center, later scoring on Erik Lis’ reaching on an error by Griffin at third. The Reds would pick up their final run on DeJesus’ RBI-single in the fourth that scored B.J. Szymanski from third.

The best Miracle chance for a comeback came in the third with runners at second and third with one out, until Cueto started his stretch that retired the final 14 of 15 Miracle hitters to come to the plate in game one.

GAME 2: MIRACLE 3, SARASOTA 1

Sarasota, as they did in game one, scored right off the bat in game two as Adam Rosales singled in DeJesus with the last of three-straight Reds hits in the inning. In the Miracle fourth, after Juan Portes led off with a triple to center, Reds starter Logan Ondrusek looked to get out of the jam after back-to-back strikeouts. However, Ondrusek uncorked a wild pitch, on the first offering to Dwayne White, scoring Portes from third with the game’s tying run.

Ondrusek looked to be in control entering the sixth inning in game two Wednesday night. After striking out Tolleson and forcing Luis Ugueto to groundout, Portes would pick up his third hit of the night with a bloop single to right, keeping the inning alive. Lis would follow with his team-leading 15th double of the season, scoring Portes with the go-ahead run from first. Edward Ovalle would soon trade places with Lis, on his RBI-double, giving the Miracle their insurance run and eventually, the 3-1 win.

Miracle starter Anthony Swarzak with 5.2 innings allowing the one Sarasota run on four hits, while fanning eight in his return. Reliever Armando Gabino went the final 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, walk and strikeout in the win.

The rubber-game of the series will take place on Thursday night, in the final game before the 2007 All-Star Break. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. as the Miracle send right-hander Josh Hill (3-2, 2.92) to the slab against the Reds’ southpaw Travis Wood (2-2, 5.40).

Thursday will be a Bud Light, Stevie Tomato’s Sports Page and 96 K-Rock “Thursty Thursday” with half-price beer throughout the night. It will also be “Don’t Be a Bengal – Be a Law-Abiding Citizen” night. Chad Johnson will be on hand as select fans will receive a light slap on the wrist entering the Hammond Stadium gates. One lucky fan will also win a pair of tickets to the Bengals-Dolphins game on New Year’s Eve at Dolphins Stadium.