Miracle second baseman Nick Romero (20) is greeted by teammates Danny Berg (25) and Mark Dolenc (23) after scoring the fourth run in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Hammond Stadium. The Miracle won the game 4-0. Glen Perkins, Evan Bigley, and Chris Parmelee had big days on the diamond Tuesday as the Fort Myers Miracle swept a doubleheader from the Lakeland Tigers 4-0 and 5-4 at Hammond Stadium. Photo by Yunet Jomolca

The sweep gives the Miracle (38-19) seven-game lead in the Florida State League’s South Division standings over the Charlotte Stone Crabs (29-24), who swept a doubleheader from the Brevard County Manatees.

In the opener Tuesday, Perkins (1-0) went the distance. The rehabbing Twins left-hander threw a seven-inning shutout with just two hits allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts. He kept the pitch count low with impressive results to record his fourth career win in a Miracle uniform.

Bigley hit his first home run as a member of the Miracle in support, a line drive to the opposite field down the right-field line.

Matt Hoffman (2-2) took the loss for Lakeland going five innings with six hits, four earned runs, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Mark Dolenc was 2-for-3 and Danny Lehmann 2-for-2 for the Miracle. The bottom of the Miracle lineup – Dolenc, Lehmann, Chris Cates – combined to go 4-for-5 with an RBI sacrifice fly and three out of four runs scored.

In the nightcap, the Miracle recorded an exciting walk-off victory as Bigley once again came through, providing an RBI game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh to bring in Ben Revere. The Tigers had intentionally walked Chris Parmelee to bring Bigley to the plate, and the right fielder made them pay.

The Tigers (22-29) had good reason for walking the All-Star Parmelee. His two-run homer to straightaway center in the bottom of the first put the first runs on the board, his sixth longball of the season. Steve Singleton also came through in the clutch with a go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the second inning.

Steve Hirschfeld started and lasted 2 1/3 innings, with four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and a strikeout. Santos Arias worked 1 2/3 of two-hit ball, giving up one earned run and one walk after Spencer Steedley allowed the inherited run from Arias.

Kyle Waldrop (3-2) continued his hot stretch with two innings, two hits, no walks, and two strikeouts to earn the victory. Since May 16, Waldrop has not allowed an earned run or walked a batter in six appearances for the Miracle, who have won five games in a row for the second time this season.

Singleton was 2-for-4 in game two with two RBI. Bigley was 2-for-4 with the game-winning hit.

The teams play their series finale Wednesday night.

First Game

Lakeland 000 000 0 – 0 2 0

Fort Myers 002 200 x – 4 6 0

W – G. Perkins (1-0). L – M. Hoffman (2-2).

2B – C. Carlson (L). HR – Bigley (FM).

LOB – Tigers 2, Miracle 3.

Second Game

Lakeland 030 010 0 – 4 9 0

Fort Myers 220 000 1 – 5 9 2

W – Waldrop (3-2). L – S. Green (3-1).

2B – Bertram (L), Revere (FM), Bigley (FM), N. Romero (FM). 3B – C. White (L). HR – Parmelee (FM).

LOB – Tigers 7; Miracle 7.