Miracle charge back to overcome Yankees

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

For five innings, the Fort Myers Miracle looked like a flat baseball team, but a little bunt pumped them up as they came from behind to defeat the Tampa Yankees 9-4 on Tuesday night in a Florida State League game at the Lee County Sports Complex.

The Miracle managed just two hits through the first five innings and trailed 4-2 after six.

In the seventh, a bunt base hit got things started as the Miracle exploded for seven runs. Ron Perodin led off with that bunt, a single to third. Trent Oeltjen then walked. JR Taylor, looking to sacrifice them over, wound up bunting for a hit to load the bases. Matt Moses chopped one to first that he beat out to drive in a run and make it 4-3.

Brock Peterson singled home two runs to give the Miracle their first lead. Scott Whitrock singled home a run. Kyle Phillips followed with a sacrifice fly and the scoring was capped off by a Ben Pattee RBI single.

Fort Myers starter Nick Blackburn gave up four runs in the second inning, but held Tampa right there. He went six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out three.

Reliever Julio DePaula picked up the victory, pitching two shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out two.

Pattee finished 2-for-3, with an RBI, and Perodin was 2-for-4, with an RBI and a run scored.

The teams will play at 10:35 a.m. today. Students from around Southwest Florida will be in attendance.

The Miracle will start left-hander Glen Perkins (0-0, 0.00).