Special to the Daily Breeze, breezesports@breezenewspapers.com

breezesports@breezenewspapers.com

Lakeland pitchers Rick Porcello and Jay Sborz combined for a four-hit, 1-0 shutout win over the Fort Myers Miracle in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday night, but a five-run first inning in the nightcap propelled the Miracle to an 8-2 win and a split at Hammond Stadium.

In the opener, the Tigers played small ball in the third inning of to earn the 1-0 victory. Jeramy Laster led off with a single to center, moved to second on Brandon Timm’s sacrifice-bunt, and scored on Jeff Kunkel’s RBI-double down the left-field line.

The Miracle, who were shutout for the 10th time this season in the opener, let a couple of quality opportunities slip past.

Porcello took the win for Lakeland tossing six innings of three-hit ball. Sborz worked around a seventh inning walk and another base hit by Whit Robbins to earn his seventh save of the year.

In the nightcap, the Miracle connected for five straight hits to open with a 5-0 advantage. With two on Whit Robbins delivered a two-run double to right and Wilson Ramos came through a couple pitches later with a run-scoring single to center.

The Miracle added three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by Edward Ovalle’s triple, to put the game out of reach.

The Miracle and Tigers play for the final time Thursday night.