MICHAEL PISTELLA Estarlin De Los Santos (15) of the Miracle heads for third base before scoring on a throwing error Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium. De Los Santos scored the first two runs in the Miracle 6-4 win. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Playing like a first-place team instead of a fifth-place team, the Fort Myers Miracle claimed two wins in their first two meetings with the first-place Dunedin Blue Jays, including Wednesday’s 4-3 victory.

The Blue Jays (31-22), who came to Hammond Stadium with the best record in the Florida State League, and their ace pitcher were manhandled Tuesday night, 6-4, by Miracle Liam Hendriks (3-1). The Australian-born right-hander tossed eight strong innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits to outpitch Jays ace and All-Star Henderson Alvarez (5-2), who was chased after just four innings.

The Miracle (23-29) led 4-1 heading into the ninth inning, but former Estero High School star John Tolisano drove in two Jays runs with a two-out double to cut the lead to 4-3. Miracle reliever Jose Gonzalez, 20, induced a game-ending pop fly with Tolisano on third base to seal the win.

Dan Osterbrock (2-4) turned in his second straight strong outing, allowing one earned run on two hits in six innings. The only run came on a solo home run by the Jays’ Welinton Ramirez in the sixth. Osterbrock retired 13 batters in a row before the home run.

Evan Bigley’s RBI single in the first inning put the Miracle in front. It also extended his consecutive-game hitting streak to 13 in a row.

The Miracle added three runs in the second on Chris Parmelee’s bases-loaded double to center.

Tuesday night, the Miracle claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Estarlin De Los Santos scored on a throwing error by Tolisano on a tailor-made double-play ground ball to third.

The Blue Jays answered with two runs in the second. Miracle third baseman Nick Romero’s error opened the door for a two-out, two-run triple by Justin McClanahan.

Not to be outdone, the Miracle picked up 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 run-scoring singles with two out in the third as the Miracle reclaimed the lead for good. Jhonathan Goncalves’ double put runners at second and third for Joe Benson, who hit the left-field wall for a two-run double.

The Miracle added a sixth run in the seventh on Bigley’s groundout to short with runners on second and third.

Staked to a 6-2 lead, Hendriks retired eight Blue Jays batters in a row from the fifth through seventh innings. The only earned run came on a solo home run by 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 on Brian Van Kirk’s two-out single. Bullock retired the next batter to record his ninth save.

The two losses leaves the Blue Jays with a half-game lead on the Lakeland Tigers atop the North Division standings with nine games to go before the All-Star break June 11-13.

Meanwhile, the Miracle stay seven games behind South Division-leading Bradenton, and close within two games of the fourth-place St. Lucie Mets in the standings.

Tuesday’s game was Island night at the ballpark with more than 3,700 fans in attendance celebrating Sanibel-Captiva businesses and residents.

The Miracle go for three in a row over the Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m. Thursday. Right-hander Adrian Salcedo (1-1, 5.27) will be on the mound for the Miracle.

Dunedin 000 001 002 – 3 4 1

Ft. Myers 130 000 00x – 4 11 3

W – Osterbrock. L – Liebel. S – J. Gonzalez.

HR – Ramirez (D).

Tuesday’s Game

Dunedin 020 000 011 – 4 7 1

Ft. Myers 102 200 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).