Miracle Baseball

AUDIO: Arcia goes 4-for-4 with game-winning HR in 4-3 win

BRADENTON, Fla. - Oswaldo Arcia's solo homerun in the top of the eighth inning propelled the Fort Myers Miracle to a 4-3 win in a tight game versus the Bradenton Marauders at McKechnie Field on Wednesday evening.

With the game tied 3-3 in the eighth, Arcia obliterated a first pitch fastball from Marauders reliever Kenn Kasparek over the right field fence to cap off a 4-for-4 night at the plate and give Fort Myers a 4-3 lead.

Kasparek (0-1) was making his first appearance for the Pirates organization after being signed from the Fargo-Morehead Redhawks in the American Association. Arcia greeted him with his fifth homerun of the season. After his four-hit performance, Arcia is now hitting .362 through 26 games in the month of May.

Prior to Arcia's heroics, Fort Myers lost a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning when Bradenton shortstop Gift Ngoepe hit a two-run homer of Miracle reliever Nelvin Fuentes to tie the game. Fuentes (2-0) would recover to get the final two outs of the seventh and one in the eighth before giving way to Bruce Pugh.

Facing five hitters in the eighth and ninth innings, Pugh struck out four including the final two en route to his fifth save.

The Miracle jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. After a bunt single from Angel Morales, Daniel Santana ripped a 1-0 pitch from Marauders starter Tyler Waldron down the right field line for a run-scoring triple. Two hitters late, Jairo Perez hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Santana.

Santana finished the evening 3-for-4 with a run scored and a second RBI coming on a double in the seventh inning.

5.30 Highlights

AUDIO: Dennis Haskins, principal Belding from Saved by the Bell, stops by the broadcast

Dennis Haskins, the man who played principal Richard Belding on the hit 90s TV show Saved by the Bell, stopped by the broadcast booth on May 24.

Haskins and Brice Zimmerman called the third inning against the Clearwater Threshers. It was one of many appearances Belding made around Hammond Stadium. He also met with the Miracle players, coaches and staff. He signed autographed for fans, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and sang the seventh inning stretch.

Belding interview

AUDIO: Ortiz, Michael homer in late rally that falls short, 5-4, to Marauders

BRADENTON, Fla. (May 29, 2012) - Levi Michael's two-run homer in the ninth inning was not enough to jolt a Miracle comeback as the Bradenton Marauders held on for a 5-4 win at McKechnie Field in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

After an opposite field double off Michael Gonzales' bat to lead off the ninth, Levi Michael hit a screaming line drive over the wall in right field to cut a 5-2 lead down to one. Michael's homerun was the second of his professional career and both have come at McKechnie Field.

Despite giving up the two-run blast, Marauder reliever Quinton Miller retired the side without any further damage for his fifth save of the season.

Bradenton starter and first overall pick from 2011 Gerrit Cole earned his fourth win going six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. The only earned run Cole (4-1) ceded was in the top of the sixth when Danny Ortiz belted his second homer of the season with the bases empty.

Cole has allowed five homeruns in 10 starts with four coming off Miracle bats.

Miracle starter Madison Boer (0-6) lost for the sixth time in six starts after giving up runs in the third, fourth an fifth innings consecutively. Four of Bradenton's five runs were scored with two outs and Carlos Paulino's two-run double capped off a three-run fourth.

5.29 Highlights

AUDIO: Arcia leads Miracle to 4-1 win over Cardinals

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 27, 2012) - Oswaldo Arcia went 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the Fort Myers Miracle past the Palm Beach Cardinals 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium.

With the win, the Miracle won their first three-game series since taking two of three from Bradenton between April 12-14.

Pat Dean limited the Cardinals to just three hits and one run over five innings of work to improve his record to 4-2. Kyle Waldrop pitched the sixth inning without allowing a hit or run in a rehab appearance.

Matt Hauser pitched two scoreless innings and Bruce Pugh pitched around a one-out double in the ninth to close out the game. Pugh picked up his fourth save.

Palm Beach struck first in the fourth inning when Chris Edmondson doubled to right field to score Jonathan Rodriguez.

Oswaldo Arcia tied the game in the Miracle half of the fourth by blasting a leadoff home run off of starter Nick Gillung.

Daniel Ortiz put the Miracle up for good in the fifth on a single that scored Andy Leer. Arcia added two insurance runs in the frame when he blooped a two-out single to left to plate Daniel Santana and Ortiz for a 4-1 lead.

Gillung took the loss for Palm Beach. He last 4 2/3 innings and gave up all four runs.

5.27 Highlights

AUDIO: Arcia, Santana spark Miracle to walk-off victory

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 26, 2012) - Fort Myers used power and speed on its way to a 6-5 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Pinch runner Daniel Santana scored all the way from first on a double by Oswaldo Arcia in the bottom of the ninth to give the Miracle a walk-off win on a fireworks night at Hammond Stadium.

Santana was held up at third but took off for home when he realized that right fielder Michael Swinson's relay through missed the cutoff man. Third baseman Jeremy Patton found the ball and threw it home, but Santana slipped his hand on top of home plate before being tagged by Geoffrey Klein.

Ricky Bowen got the win for the Miracle while Chase Reid suffered the loss for the Cardinals.

Michael Gonzales blasted a two-run home run in the fifth to tie the game 3-3 and Lance Ray added a solo homer in a game that was delayed for over an hour before it started because of rain.

Once play began, the Miracle jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Arcia doubled to lead off the second and scored on a two-out base hit by Anderson Hidalgo.

Palm Beach scored the next three. Starlin Rodriguez doubled off of starter Jhon Garcia in the third to plate Mike O'Neill and tie the game.

The Miracle ran into big trouble in the fourth. Garcia left the game after suffering an apparent arm injury on the fourth pitch of the inning. Reliever Edgar Ibarra came in and issued three walks and threw two wild pitches which led to two runs and a 3-1 Palm Beach lead.

Gonzales gave the Miracle new life in the fifth when he belted a towering two run homer to center field to tie the game. Angel Morales followed with a bunt single and he moved up to third when Cardinals starter Todd McInnis threw wildly to first and the ball escaped down the right field line.

Morales scored to give Fort Myers a 4-3 lead when Levi Michael lifted a sac fly to left.

Ray lined his team-leading sixth homer of the year over the wall in right in the sixth inning to put the Miracle up 5-3.

The Cardinals answered right back in the top of the seventh. They loaded the bases on Ibarra and chased him with one out. Bowen came in and threw a wild pitch that allowed a run to score and Jonathan Rodriguez tied the game 5-5 when his sac fly drove in Starlin Rodriguez.

The 5-5 score held until Arcia and Santana came through with their heroics in the ninth.

5.26 Highlights

AUDIO: Threshers score three in the ninth to beat Miracle 4-3

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 23, 2012) - Cameron Rupp delivered a two-out RBI single in the ninth to complete a three-run inning and a comeback for the Clearwater Threshers as they defeated the Fort Myers Miracle 4-3 on Wednesday at Hammond Stadium.

Leading 3-1 in the ninth, Ricky Bowen could not save the game for the Miracle. He started the frame by walking Albert Cartwright and giving up a single to Cody Asche. An RBI single by James Murphy made it 3-2 and wild pitch moved Asche and Murphy to second and third.

Bowen struck out Anthony Hewitt but allowed an RBI sac fly by Drew Hillman to score Asche and tie the game.

Bowen couldn't get out of the jam as Rupp ripped the go-ahead hit through the right side to plate Murphy for a 4-3 lead.

Tyler Knigge pitched around a one-out single from Lance Ray in the bottom of the ninth for his second save.

Bowen suffered his first blown save and fell to 1-2.

After rain delayed the game by over an hour in the third, the Threshers struck first with a solo home run by Drew Hillman in the fourth.

The Miracle took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Daniel Santana and an RBI double by Jairo Perez. Fort Myers put one more run on the board in the sixth when Andy Leer's single plated Josmil Pinto.

Jose Gonzalez pitched five innings of scoreless relief for starter Pat Dean, who only lasted three innings before the rain ended his outting.

Juan Sosa earned the win for the Threshers by pitching a perfect eighth inning.

5.23 highlights

AUDIO: Rohlfing lifts Miracle to 2-1 win over Threshers

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 22, 2012) - Dan Rohlfing went 3 for 4 and drove in both runs for Fort Myers as the Miracle clipped the Clearwater Threshers 2-1 at Hammond Stadium on Tuesday.

Marty Popham kept the Threshers in check by limiting them to six hits and one run in six innings of work. He received a no decision and threw 87 pitches.

Nelvin Fuentes pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win and Ricky Bowen struck out the side in the ninth for his team-leading fourth save.

Rohlfing was the key cog in Fort Myers' run scoring plays. Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Miracle got a two-out single from Oswaldo Arcia off of Threshers starter Jesse Biddle. Rohlfing then ripped a double to the gap in left-center that scored Arcia to tie the game.

Rohlfing broke the 1-1 tie in the eighth inning, again with two outs. He punched a 95 mile per hour fastball from Colby Shreve through the right side with the bases loaded to plate Daniel Ortiz for the go-ahead run.

Rohlfing also belted a double in the seventh to go 3 for 4.

Popham was able to pitch out of a couple jams in the middle of the ballgame. The Threshers loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but Popham allowed just a sac fly to center from Cameron Rupp and got Miguel Alvarez to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Threshers put the first two men on in the fifth inning, but Popham got three consecutive ground outs to end the threat.

Arcia and Daniel Santana each went 2 for 4 and Levi Michael and Ortiz both had hits for the Miracle.

Shreve fell to 1-1 after allowing three hits and the game-winning run in the eighth. Drew Hillman went 3 for 3 in the losing effort for the Threshers.

5.22 highlights

AUDIO: Garcia cruises as Miracle top Threshers 7-1

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 21, 2012) - The Fort Myers Miracle snapped a two-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the Clearwater Threshers on Monday at Hammond Stadium.

The Miracle did most of the damage in the first inning on the strength of three consecutive doubles. With one out Daniel Ortiz drew a walk from Brody Colvin and scored when Jairo Perez lined a double off the top of the left field wall. Oswaldo Arcia then ripped a double down the right field line to plate Perez and Dan Rohlfing made it three doubles in a row with a liner in the left-center gap that drove in Arcia for a 3-0 lead.

The three-run lead was enough for Jhon Garcia, who turned in his best performance of the season. Garcia (1-5) earned his first win and pitched six innings, his longest outing of the year. He allowed one run, four singles and struck out three.

Edgar Ibarra pitched the final three innings without allowing a run to pick up his second save.

Clearwater's only run came in the second when Miguel Alvarez laced a pitch from Garcia into left field and plated James Murphy, who started the inning with a single.

Alvarez's RBI cut the Fort Myers' lead to 3-1, but the Miracle got the run back in the bottom of the second. Colvin loaded the bases with no outs and Perez grounded into a 4-6-3 double play but Andy Leer scored on the play to make it 4-1.

The Miracle broke the game open with three runs in the eighth. Lance Ray belted his team-leading fifth homer and Ortiz and Perez collected two-out RBI singles to give the Miracle a comfortable 7-1 lead.

Ortiz led the Miracle offense with a 3 for 4 night. Perez and Michael Gonzales also had two-hit games.

Colvin (2-4) lasted four innings and gave up four runs and five walks in the loss.

5.21 highlights

AUDIO: Dean dazzles with 8 strikeouts in 8 innings in 2-1 win over Brevard County

MELBOURNE, Fla. (May 18, 2012) - Pat Dean struck out eight batters and allowed just one run in eight innings to pick up his third consecutive wine and guide the Miracle to a 2-1 victory at Space Coast Stadium on Friday night.

Dean's only mistake came in the second inning when Manatees left fielder Miguel Velazquez hit an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left for a solo homerun. The Naugatuck, Conn. native rebounded with a 1-2-3 top half of the third inning and proceeded to blank the Brevard County hitters over the next five innings.

Completing four innings without a strikeout, Dean (3-2) found a groove in the fifth inning. With the Miracle still trailing 1-0, Dean fanned five Manatees in a row by striking out the side in the fifth and punching out the first two hitters of the sixth.

Fort Myers grabbed the lead in the top half of the sixth inning. With one out, Jairo Perez was hit by a pitch from Manatees starter Jimmy Nelson. The next pitch left the stadium. Oswaldo Arcia crushed a first pitch fastball from Nelson (2-4) over the wall in right center field for a two-run homer staking the Miracle to 2-1 advantage.

Dean would make the lead hold up with a little more help from Arcia. After another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, including a strikeout, the Miracle starter would run into trouble in the eighth.

Manatee catcher Adam Weisenburger led off with a double to left center field. Dean would pick up his final two punchouts of the evening with Weisenburger in scoring position, getting Franklin Romero swinging and freezing Nick Shaw with a 1-2 fastball on the outside corner.

After battling Reggie Keen to a 2-2 count, Dean allowed a bloop hit into right field. Weisenburger was waved around third base and Arcia delivered a perfect throw to catcher Josmil Pinto to get the final out of the inning at the plate.

Nelson pitched a complete game for Brevard County, but Miracle manager Jake Mauer went to the bullpen for the ninth inning and brought in reliever Ricky Bowen.

Bowen gave up a lead-off single to T.J. Mittelstaedt who advanced to second on a misplay in center field by Angel Morales. A Cody Hawn groundout moved Mittelstaedt to third with one out.

The Miracle received another stellar defensive play next when Velazquez would lift an 0-1 pitch in foul ground towards the first base dugout. Michael Gonzales ventured towards the railing of the Brevard County dugout and reached out to snag the second out while preventing Mittelstaedt to advance home.

Picking up his third save, Bowen nailed down the Miracle win by striking out Mike Walker.

Dean's eight strikeouts are a season-high for an individual Miracle pitcher.

5.18 Highlights

AUDIO: Arcia goes 3-for-5 in 5-4, 10 inning loss to Manatees

MELBOURNE, Fla. (May 17, 2012) - Manatees third baseman Mike Walker delivered a bases loaded, run-scoring walk-off single to give Brevard County a series opening 5-4 win at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday evening.

After pitching a perfect 1.2 innings, Miracle reliever Bruce Pugh gave up singles to T.J. Mittelstaedt and Cody Hawn to lead off the 10th inning. Pugh then hit Shawn Zarraga to put a Manatee at every bag. Walker fouled off one pitch, then served a looper into left field to score Mittelstaedt from third and clinch a Brevard County victory.

Fort Myers trailed, 3-0, early in the evening, but stormed back to take the lead off Manatees starter Taylor Jungmann. After holding the Miracle scoreless over the first four innings, the 12th overall selection by the Milwuakee Brewers was touched up by Fort Myers in the fifth.

Daniel Ortiz started the inning with a double and was followed by a single from Anderson Hidalgo to put runners on the corners. Mike Gonzales would place a 1-0 pitch inside the first base bag to plate one run and put the Miracle on the board, 3-1.

After an Angel Morales line out, Andy Leer singled into left to score Hidalgo in his first at-bat after entering the game in the fourth inning. Jungmann would strikeout Levi Michael, but Oswaldo Arcia capped off a three hit night with a two-run, two-out double down the left field line. Arcia finished the evening 3-for-5 and pulled his average above .300 for the first time in 2012.

Fort Myers held a 4-3 advantage until the sixth inning. Miracle starter Marty Popham recorded the first out, but then walked Shea Vucinich and allowed back-to-back hits to Adam Weisenburger and Franklin Romero, Jr. to allow the game-tying run.

Pugh (1-3) was the losing pitcher and Eric Marzec (1-0) pitched a scoreless top half of the 10th for the win.

5.17 Highlights