McCutchen two-hits Miracle, Yanks win 4-0

By Naples Daily News staff

The Fort Myers Miracle were two-hit for the second time this season, this time at the hands of the Tampa Yankees in a 4-0 loss to cap the first half of the season on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium.

The Miracle finished the first half at 30-40, while the Yanks finished 1 1/2 games behind Western Division champion Sarasota at 41-28.

Tampa starter Dan McCutchen threw seven innings, allowing the two hits with a walk and three strikeouts. McCutchen’s seventh win of the season kept most of the 2,029 fans quiet throughout the night.

The Yankees first two runs came across in the fourth, as Kevin Russo (3-for-4) picked up the first of his two RBI with a double to left. Jose Tabata, who'd singled to open the inning, came around on the play, and Russo followed on Jared Greenwood's single to right.

Tampa got some insurance in both the fifth and the seventh, with Russo singling in Colin Curtis in the fifth and Curtis tallying the Yanks' final run in the eighth.

Steve Tolleson and Erik Lis had the only two hits for the Miracle. Tolleson smacked a leadoff single in the first while Lis added a single with one out in the fourth. Wednesday marked the 15th time the Miracle have been shutout this season.

The second-half of the Florida State League opens on Thursday, when the Miracle travel to face the division winning Reds at 7 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium.