DUNEDIN – After nine masterful innings by starter Bruce Pugh, the Fort Myers Miracle pulled out a 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Dunedin Blue Jays in the 10th inning as Chris Herrmann drove in Brian Dozier for the winning run, and Dakota Watts locked down the save in the bottom of the inning.

Pugh (5-7) locked up the win, but was not credited with a complete game because of the extra innings. It was one of the most impressive performances by any Miracle pitcher this season. The right-hander allowed only two hits, but both were two-out solo home runs. Pugh struck out eight and walked none.

The Miracle jumped on the board in the first inning against Blue Jays starter Shawn Hill. Angel Morales led of the game with a triple, and scored on a subsequent RBI single by Brian Dozier.

Pugh sent down the first eight batters before giving up a solo home run with two outs to Justin McClanahan, tying the game 1-1. The Miracle got the run right back Drew Thompson brought home Nick Romero with a sac-fly in the top of the fourth.

Up 2-1, Pugh sent down the next 12 batters in order, six via strikeout, before Mike McDade blasted a two-strike, two-out solo home run to right in the seventh inning to knot the game 2-2.

The Miracle squandered scoring opportunities in the eighth and ninth innings, sending the game into extra innings.

In the 10th, Dozier led off with a single, and was sacrificed to second and took third on a wild pitch by Ross Buckwalter. Herrmann then delivered an RBI single after a walk to Nate Hanson put runners at the corners. Buckwalter (1-3) took the loss.

In the bottom of the inning, Watts had to overcome a huge jam for the win. Leadoff batter Brian Van Kirk reached on an infield single, and Mark Sobolewski walked to put runners at first and second with no outs. Welinton Ramirez tried to bunt both runners up, but Watts made a great play by fielding the bunt and retiring the lead runner at third. He then induced a game ending 6-4-3 double play against Yan Gomes to seal the victory.

With a 2-1 series edge, the Miracle look to take 3-of-4 from Dunedin Friday night. The Miracle are just two games back of the Bradenton Marauders in the Florida State League South standings.