Miracle fall to Tampa Yankees in 14th inning

By Special to the Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS – Two unearned runs in the top of the 14th inning on Monday night led the Tampa Yankees to a 6-4 win over the Fort Myers Miracle. With the come-from-behind win, the Yanks keep their first-half playoff hopes alive, still 1.5 games back of division-leading Sarasota with two games to play.

After a pair of walks to Colin Curtis and Juan Miranda in the 14th off of Miracle reliever Kyle Aselton, Edwar Gonzalez hit a deep fly ball to right-center that Edward Ovalle mishandled. Ovalle, charged with the dropped fly error, allowed the two decisive Tampa runs to score before closer Eric Wordekemper shut the door a half-inning later.

The Miracle struck early as Ovalle and Steve Tolleson would single in Miracle runs in the first two innings. Tampa would come charging back with a pair of runs in the third, as Reegie Corona and Colin Curtis plated the tying runs on a passed ball a Jose Tabata single.

After a lead-off walk to Luis Ugueto followed by a single off the bat of Juan Portes leading off the Miracle fifth, Erik Lis would smack a two-run triple down the right-field line. Lis’ first triple of the season gave the Miracle a two-run cushion.

Fransisco Cervelli’s RBI-double and Tabata’s second RBI-single of the night brought in Tim Battle and Cervelli himself knotting the contest at four apiece. The Miracle had the bases-loaded in the eighth with no outs, and loaded again in the tenth with one out, unable to push across the game-winning run.

Game two of the series will take place tonight at 7:05 as the Miracle send RHP Zach Ward (2-8, 2.84) to the mound opposite RHP George Kontos (0-2, 2.53).