PORT CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte Stone Crabs scored four runs in the first inning and held off Fort Myers to avoid a sweep with a 5-3 victory over the Miracle Friday at Charlotte Sports Park.

Miracle starter Madison Boer pitched a season-high seven innings and gave up just three earned runs, but the Stone Crabs were able to get to him early.

Robby Price, Hector Guevarra and Steven Tinoco started the bottom of the first with three consecutive singles. Tinoco’s single plated Price and Derek Dietrich followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Two batters later Phil Wunderlich grounded to short, but Levi Michael’s errant throw to second escaped into right field, allowing Tinoco to score. Mikie Mahtook completed the scoring in the frame when Riccio Torrez belted the second sac fly of the inning for the Stone Crabs.

Cody Rogers led off the second inning with a double and later came around to score on another double by Guevarra to make it 5-0 Stone Crabs.

From there, Boer settled down. He ended up retiring 10 in a row to keep the Miracle in it.

Meanwhile, in the fifth inning, Daniel Ortiz got the Miracle back in the game at the plate. With two on, he bashed his sixth home run of the season off of Eliazer Suero to cut Charlotte’s lead to 5-3.

Suero was able to retire Kyle Knudson to end the fifth. From there T.J. Geith and Chris Rearick were able to quiet the Miracle over the last four innings.

Suero earned his first win as a starter despite issuing five walks. Geith only gave up two hits in three innings and Rearick got of a jam in the ninth to pick up the save. Rearick started the ninth by giving up a walk to Lance Ray and an infield single to Danny Rams but pitched around the trouble by getting three straight outs.

The Miracle lost for the first time in Boer’s last six starts.

Ortiz finished 2 for 4 to collect his fifth multi-hit game in his last six contests.

Fort Myers (37-46, 9-7) returns to Hammond Stadium on Saturday to start a three-game series with the Jupiter Hammerheads. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

The State Farm pregame show begins at 5:45 p.m.