Miracle only collect two hits in loss to Yankees

By Special to the Fort Myers News-Press

The final game of the Florida State League's first half wrapped up Wednesday with a game representing just how the first 70 have gone so far for the Fort Myers Miracle.

For the second time this season, the Miracle picked up just two hits in another shutout, this one a 4-0 blanking by the visiting Tampa Yankees. The Miracle finished the first half at 30-40, while the Yanks finished 1 1/2 games back of 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 the Hammond Stadium fans quiet throughout the night.

The Yankees' first two runs came across in the fifth as Kevin Russo, who went 3-for-4 on the night, picked up his first of two RBI with a double to left. Jose Tabata, who singled to lead off the fourth, scored on the play. Russo would later score himself on a Jared Greenwood single to right.

Steve Tolleson and Erik Lis had the hits for the Miracle on Wednesday. Tolleson smacked a leadoff single in the first, while Lis picked up his single with one out in the fourth.