Miracle hold off Cardinals in Jupiter

By SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS

Jupiter — A little patience paid off for the Fort Myers Miracle on Monday night.

Matt Moses' ninth-inning home run sent the game to extra innings, and Felix Molina scored the eventual game-winner with an RBI ground-rule double in the 11th to give the Miracle a 2-1 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals in Florida State League action.

Cardinals starter Stuart Pomerantz shut down Fort Myers for the first eight innings, allowing no runs and eight hits while striking out eight.

But Pomerantz gave way to reliever Mark Worrell in the ninth, and the Cards' closer quickly gave away the game.

Moses launched Worrell's first pitch over the right-field wall for his fifth homer of the season, tying the game at 1.

Two innings later, Denard Span led off with a single and Moses singled to right before Molina sent an 0-2 pitch over the head of left fielder Ty Parker that one-hopped over the wall and gave the Miracle a 2-1 lead.

Miracle reliever Chris Schutt retired the first two Cards hitters in the bottom of the 11th, then John Santor crushed a pitch to deep center field that Span caught on the warning track to end the game.

Fort Myers starter Glen Perkins went five innings, allowing one run on three hits, and struck out eight. The only run he allowed was in the first, when Mike McCoy singled, stole second and Santor singled him.

Relievers Julio DePaula, Jay Sawatski and Schutt combined to allow just two hits over the final six innings.

The Miracle will begin a four-game series against St. Lucie at 7 p.m. Wednesday night at the Lee County Sports Complex.