The Palm Beach Cardinals pieced together three three-run innings to beat the Fort Myers Miracle 11-5 Thursday night at Hammond Stadium.

The Miracle and Cardinals traded runs in the first inning. Palm Beach benefited from a run-scoring single by Florida State League South Division All-Star Edgar Lara while the Miracle countered with an RBI double by Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer.

Mauer, on rehabilitation assignment, hugged the third base line with a line drive to plate fellow Twins teammate Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Also rehabbing an injury, Nishioka led off the first with a base hit and stole second.

Nishioka finished the game 1-for-3 with a run scored and Mauer 1-for-3 with a double and a RBI.

Tied 1-1, the Miracle took a brief lead in the second inning. With runners on the corners, Cardinals starter Justin Smith sent a pickoff throw to first that glanced off the glove of Xavier Scruggs and allowed Steve Liddle to cross home.

The Cardinals answered with a three-run top of the fourth. Rainel Rosario picked up a run-scoring single and Lara cranked a two-run homer to left to take a 4-2 lead. The Miracle cut the lead in their half of the third with a run on a bases-loaded walk to James Beresford that was cause for Smith’s exit from the game.

Anderson Hidalgo provided the final fireworks for the home team in the bottom of the fifth. Hidalgo crushed a 2-2 offering from reliever Tyler Lyons over the left field wall for his second home run of the season. Hidalgo finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBI.

A one-run game after five, the Cardinals began to pull away with a pair of three-run innings in the sixth and eighth.

Miracle starter Brad Stillings (3-2) was saddled with the loss allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts in three innings. The Miracle used five pitchers with Jhon Garcia and Dakota Watts posting scoreless outings.

Tyler Lyons (2-1) was awarded the win with 3 1/3 innings pitched and allowing a run on three hits.

The rubber match of a three-game series between the Miracle (30-30) and Cardinals (25-35) begins at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Hammond Stadium.