Scoreless Streak Reaches 19 Innings as Miracle Blanked Again 7-0

By Sean Aronson
Fort Myers News Press

FORT MYERS, FL – Missing: Miracle Offense. If found please call Fort Myers Miracle manager Kevin Boles. For the second consecutive ballgame the Miracle were blanked, this time by the St. Lucie Mets 7-0 at Hammond Stadium on Friday night.

After getting blown out 17-0 on Thursday morning, the Miracle expected to come out angry on Friday and in the first inning it looked like they would get on the board. With one out Matt Tolbert double to right. Garrett Guzman followed with a single to right that moved Tolbert to third. Unfortunately, Kyle Geiger flew out to medium center and Jeremy Pickrel struck out to end the inning. In the following eight innings, the Miracle managed just six hits and never had a runner reach second base. Mets starter Jake Ruckle went 7.0 shutout innings allowing seven hits and striking out four. The Miracle didn’t help their cause by hitting into four double plays.

The Miracle, who fell to 22-19, haven’t scored a run since the eighth inning of Wednesday night’s game, spanning 19 innings.

The Mets got all the runs they needed in the fourth inning off of Miracle starter Colby Miller. Mike Carp led off with a double to right and with one out Jesus Flores blasted a two run homer to right, his fifth of the season.

With one out in the fifth, Miller gave up back-to-back singles before being removed. His replacement, Justin Jones gave up an RBI single to Ambiorix Concepcion to make it 3-0. Miller went 4.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out two.

The Mets made it 4-0 in the sixth on a solo homer from Josh Petersen, his fourth of the season. They tacked on three more against Josh Hill in the eighth for the finishing touches.

The Miracle and Mets play the second game of the series on Saturday night at Hammond Stadium. The Miracle send RHP Anthony Swarzak (2-3, 4.62) to the hill against Mets RHP Jose Sanchez (3-2, 4.23). The first 750 fans through the gates receive a drawstring bag presented by TIB Bank. It is also the first Dog Daze of Summer presented by the Beasley Broadcast Group.