PORT ST. LUCIE – In an offensive slugfest that was wild from start to finish, the Fort Myers Miracle on a season-high 15 hits, including three home runs, held on to beat the St. Lucie Mets 8-7 Saturday. The Miracle have won the first two games of a three-game series against the Mets, with a chance for the sweep on Sunday.

Fort Myers (9-13) also pulls out of last place in the Florida State League South, replaced by the Mets (8-14) at the bottom.

With a 5-5 tie heading into the sixth inning, Nate Hanson delivered a one-out RBI single to put the Miracle up for good. Dan Rohlfing added a fielder’s choice RBI groundout to put the Miracle up by two before Yangervis Solarte led off the eighth inning with a solo home run to put the Miracle up 8-5.

The Mets would scratch two runs off the Miracle reliever Michael Allen in the eighth to make it 8-7 heading into the ninth, but Miracle closer Billy Bullock shut the door, pitching a perfect ninth inning, striking out the final two batters, to hold on for victory. It is his fourth save of the year.

The Miracle got on the board in the first inning against Mets starter Robert Carson, as Deibinson Romero picked up a two-out RBI single to give the Miracle a 1-0 lead. The lead didn’t last, however, as St. Lucie got two runs in the bottom of the first inning. After one run came across on a single, a stolen base with a throwing error to second by Rohlfing, and a fielder’s choice RBI groundout by Mets’ Josh Satin, Sean Ratliff hit a solo home run off Miracle starter Bobby Lanigan to put the Mets up 2-1.

St. Lucie went up by three runs in the second as they got a two-run home run off the bat of third-baseman Richard Lucas.

The 4-1 Mets lead lasted only a matter of moments as Yangervis Solarte led off the third with his first of two solo home runs to make it a two-run game. After an infield single by Evan Bigley, Romero blasted his first home run of the year to tie the game 4-4.

It is the first home run for both Solarte and Romero, with Solarte hitting his two solo home runs in the game from both sides of the plate. The switch-hitter’s third-inning home run came from the right side with the eighth inning blast from the left side.

The Miracle had only five home runs on the season which included Nate Hanson’s two-run home run in game one of the series, a 5-3 ninth-inning come-from-behind victory. Hanson had another big night at the plate Saturday, finishing with a season-high three hits in five at-bats, including the go-ahead RBI-single in the decisive sixth inning.

Lanigan (2-1) battled his way to a six-inning performance, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out five and walking none for the victory. Marcos Tabata (0-1), in his first appearance of the year, was charged with the loss as he was responsible for the runs in the sixth.

The Miracle look for their first series sweep of the season in Sunday’s finale against the Mets. Fort Myers is 4-1 on the current road trip after taking two of three from the Jupiter Hammerheads. RHP Brad Tippett will make the start for the Miracle Sunday.