Sac-fly sinks Miracle 5-4
CLEARWATER – The Clearwater Threshers won another thrilling game over the Fort Myers Miracle 5-4 Saturday night.
Jim Murphy’s RBI sac fly plated Albert Cartwright in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the Threshers’ second walk-off win of the series. Cartwright reached third base by bashing a one-out triple off of Ricky Bowen.
The eighth and final game of the season series between the Miracle and Threshers lived up to the previous six, which were also all decided by one run. Unfortunately for the Miracle, they loss the final three games of the four-game set after taking game 1.
Fort Myers got the scoring started with two runs in the first against Brody Colvin. Daniel Santana and Levi Michael both got hit with pitches to lead off the game. Danny Ortiz plated Santana with a single and Michael scored on Kyle Knudson’s base hit.
The Threshers got one run back in the bottom of the inning off of Matt Hauser. Albert Cartwright led off with a single, and after a passed moved him to second he scored on a single by Carlos Alonso.
The Miracle made it 3-1 in the fifth thanks to an error at first by Laynce Nix. Santana grounded to short, but Nix couldn’t hold the throw and Santana reached safely. Michael bunted Santana to second and Santana scored when Joe Benson lined a single up the middle.
The Threshers got within one and knocked Hauser of the game in the fifth. Hauser walked four in the inning, including giving a free pass to Cameron Rupp with the bases loaded to force home a run. Nelvin Fuentes came in and struck out Zach Collier to end the threat and hold the 3-2 lead.
Anderson Hidalgo extended his hitting streak to 12 games in the sixth and collected an RBI while doing so by driving in Danny Rams for a 4-2 lead.
Fuentes was unable to hold the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Anthony Hewitt led off with a home run to cut the score to 4-3, then Pete Lavin followed with a single. Lavin advanced to second on a ground out, stole third and scored on a wild pitch with two outs to tied the game 4-4.
The tie game held until Murphy’s game-winning sac fly with one out in the ninth.
Hauser pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits while walking four and striking out a pair.
Danny Rams had a three-hit game and finished 3 for 4. Michael Gonzales also went 3-for-4 with two doubles.
The Miracle return to Hammond Stadium ay 4:05 p.m. Sunday to start a four-game series with the Dunedin Blue Jays.