Playing like a first-place team instead of a fifth-place team, the Fort Myers Miracle manhandled the Florida State League’s best team and their ace pitcher Tuesday night in a 6-4 victory at Hammond Stadium.

Miracle starter Liam Hendriks (3-1) tossed eight strong innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits, to outpitch Dunedin Blue Jays ace and All-Star Henderson Alvarez (5-2), who was chased after just four innings.

The Miracle claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Estarlin De Los Santos scored on a throwing error by the Blue Jays’ former Estero High School star John Tolisano on a tailor-made double-play ground ball to third base.

The Blue Jays (31-21), leading the Florida State League’s North Division standings, answered with two runs in the second inning. Miracle third baseman Nick Romero’s error led to a two-out, two run triple by Justin McClanahan.

Not to be outdone, the Miracle got two runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead and send Alvarez to an early shower.

Deibinson Romero and Chris Herrmann delivered two-out, run-scoring singles in the third as the Miracle (22-29) reclaimed the lead for good. Jhonathan Gonclaves’ double put runners at second and third for Joe Benson, who hit the left-field wall for a two-run double and the three-run lead.

The Miracle added a sixth run in the seventh as Evan Bigley drove in the run with a groundout to short with runners on second and third. Bigley (1-for-4) extended his season -best hitting streak to 12 games in a row with a third-inning single.

Staked to a 6-2 lead, Hendriks sat down eight Blue Jays batters in a row from the fifth through the seventh innings. The Australian’s only earned run came on a solo home run by Welington Ramirez to open the eighth inning.

The Blue Jays cut the final margin to two runs with a run in the ninth off Miracle All-Star closer Billy Bullock. Mike McDade, who drew a leadoff walk and took second on a wild pitch, scored on Brian Van Kirk’s two-out single. Bullock retired the next batter on a groundout to record his ninth save of the season.

The loss leaves the Blue Jays nursing a half-game lead over the Lakeland Tigers in the North Division standings with nine games to go before the All-Star Game break June 11-13.

Meanwhile, the Miracle crept within seven games of South Division leader Bradenton, which lost to Lakeland Tuesday night. They remain three games behind fourth-place St. Lucie in the standings.

The four-game series with the Blue Jays resumes Wednesday at 10:35 a.m. with a salute to education. Tuesday’s game was Island night at the ballpark with more than 3,700 fans in attendance to salute Sanibel-Captiva businesses and residents.

Dunedin020 000 011 – 4 7 1

Ft. Myers102 200 10x – 6 12 1

W – Hendriks. L – Alvarez. S – Bullock.

2B – Tolisano (D); W. Ramirez (D; Benson (FM); D. Romero(FM); Goncalves (FM). 3B – J. McClanahan (D). HR – W. Ramirez (D).