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Errors aid Miracle in 3-2 win in 11 innings

By Staff | Jul 7, 2011

PORT ST. LUCIE — In a low scoring affair between the Miracle and the Mets, four late errors committed by St. Lucie helped Fort Myers pull ahead in an 11th inning 3-2 victory.

Tied 2-2 in the top of the 11th, Miracle outfielder Aaron Hicks hit a grounder to shortstop Wilmer Flores, but the ball rolled under the fielder’s glove – allowing Hicks to reach safely.

Hicks then took advantage of a throw in the dirt by reliever Brandon Sage, and moved up to second. With no outs, Nick Romero flew out down the right field line to Cory Vaughn, with Hicks trying to move to third on the play. When the throw from Vaughn sailed over third baseman Jefry Marte’s head, Hicks scored the go-ahead run.

Matt Schuld, who tossed four innings in relief of Jhon Garcia, returned to start off the 11th, but gave up a lead-off single to Vaughn. Matt Hauser was then summoned in from the bullpen and Mets designated-hitter Dock Doyle laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to move Vaughn up to second.

Hauser was able to clamp down on St. Lucie, through, getting Francisco Pena to fly out to right, then struck out Rylan Sandoval to nail down the save.

Schuld (4-1) picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits, while Sage (2-3) took the tough-luck loss.

Fort Myers took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning against Mets starter Greg Peavey on a two-out RBI triple from Nick Romero. It was the only run the Miracle would manage against the righty, who allowed just four hits in seven strong innings.

St. Lucie got its only run against Garcia in the second, when Vaughn doubled with two outs to set up an RBI single from Doyle. Garcia, making his third start, lasted a season-best six innings while allowing six hits.

With the score tied 1-1 in the seventh, the Mets took a temporary lead against Schuld on another two-out rally. Pedro Zapata singled, and Juan Lagares drove in his fifth run of the series with a double.

But Fort Myers would get the run right back in the next half inning. Jhon Goncalves led off the eighth against reliever Mike Powers, and scorched a grounder to third that went off the glove of Marte. Taking his time to recover the ball, Goncalves tried to stretch it into a double, and Marte’s rushed throw into second sailed into right field to allow him to go all the way to third. After one out was recorded in the inning, Reggie Williams hit a tapper to third and it went under Marte’s glove, with his second error of the inning allowing Goncalves to score and tie the game at two.

Now leading 2-to-1 in the series, Fort Myers (6-7, 40-43) looks to win its first series against the Mets (7-5, 45-37) this season Thursday night.

First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. from Digital Domain Park, with a LHP Pat Dean set to make his second start with the Miracle, opposite the FSL’s ERA leader, LHP Darin Gorski.