Fort Myers Miracle �6, � Bradenton Marauders �5 (box)
The Marauders were thinking they were in good shape, going into the bottom of the 7th leading the Miracle 5-0 in Ft. Myers. �Then the Miracle erupted for 6 runs to take the lead and the win. �Reliever Mike Colla had already pitched two scoreless innings. �He’d given up a double in the 5th, but CF Austin McClune threw out the runner as he tried to stretch it into a triple. �Colla began the 7th by putting the first three batters on base with two singles and a walk. �Tom Boleska relieved Colla, but he gave up an RBI single, then a sacrifice fly for another run. �Another single loaded the bases, and a hit batter forced in the third run of the inning. �A sacrifice fly added run #4, and a double plated #5 and #6, before a fly out ended the inning. �Colla was responsible for the first three runs, and Boleska the rest.
Starter Bryan Morris had pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 4 batters.
The Marauders posted 9 hits, with 3B Jeremy Farrell collecting two of them. �They loaded the bases in the top of the 1st with a walk to RF Robbie Grossman, who was then caught stealing, a single by LF Quincy Latimore, a walk to C Tony Sanchez, and a single by Farrell. �A fly out ended the inning with all three still on base. �The Marauders scored their first run in the 2nd inning on a double by CF Austin McClune (the only extra-base hit) and a single by SS Brock Holt. They added two runs in the 4th. �1B Calvin Anderson walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and to third on a fly out. �2B Greg Picart was hit by a pitch, and he also moved up to second on a wild pitch. �A fielder’s choice by Holt scored Anderson, and a ground out by Grossman scored Picart.
Anderson began the rally in the 6th by being hit by a pitch. �Three consecutive walks, to McClune, Picart, and Holt forced in Anderson. �Grossman grounded to short, but Ft. Myers SS threw home to force out McClune. �Latimore brought in Picart with a sacrifice fly. �A walk to Sanchez loaded the bases again, but again the Marauders left all three on base when the inning ended.
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West Virginia Power �7, � Hagerstown Suns �6 (box)
The Power and the Suns traded the lead back and forth, but in the end it was the Power who came out on top, with a run in the top of the 10th. �The Power had scored one run in the 8th to tie the game. �RF�David Rubinstein walked to open the inning, went to second on a grounder, to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by C Josue Peley. That tied the score at 5-5, and the tie lasted until the top of the 10th. �With two outs, DH Kyle Morgan was hit by a pitch, and Peley came through again with a grounder to third. �Peley was credited with a single, then the Suns’ 3B made a throwing error, and that allowed Morgan to come around from first base to score the go-ahead run. �Reliever Zach Foster, who had pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th, did the same in the 10th, to earn the win for himself and for the Power.
Power starter Hunter Strickland pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 runs (5 earned) on 9 hits, no walks. �Two singles, a double steal, a sacrifice fly and a passed ball gave the Suns two runs in the bottom of the 1st. �The Power came right back in the top of the 2nd, beginning with a solo homer by Morgan. �Peley reached on a throwing error, then the newest Power teammate, 3B Elevys Gonzalez singled. �A sacrifice bunt by SS Benji Gonzalez and a throwing error let Peley score. �Then the two Gonzalezes pulled off a double steal, with Elevys stealing home to give the Power a 3-2 lead.
Two singles and a double off Strickland gave Hagerstown two more runs and a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 4th. �Once again the Power came back. �They scored 2 runs in the top of the 5th on three doubles, by 2B Jarek Cunningham, 1B Aaron Baker, and David Rubinstein. �Power 5, Suns 4. �Then the Suns returned fire again in the bottom of the 5th. �One came in on a lead-off homer, then a single, a passed ball, a hit batter, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly scored the second run. �Suns 6, Power 5.
Maurice Bankston pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits. �Baker, Rubinstein, and Elevys Gonzalez all had 2 hits for the Power.
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