Miracle 7, Marauders 4

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BRADENTON – The Fort Myers Miracle (38-27) scored the final three runs of Tuesday night’s game, defeating the Marauders (38-27) 7-4 at McKechnie Field. The Marauders remain one game out of first place behind the Palm Beach Cardinals.

The Miracle jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Chad Kuhl in the top of the first inning. Kuhl limited the damage and quelled several jams, but was chased with two-outs in the fifth inning. He finished with five strikeouts.

Jacob Stallings continued his torrid month of August by doubling in two run in the second inning off Miracle lefty Steven Gruver, getting Bradenton back within one run at 3-2. Stallings is batting .419 and has driven in 14 runs in 12 August games.

Fort Myers catch Stuart Turner had the biggest game of any player at the plate. After doubling in two runs in the first inning, he finished Kuhl’s night with a run-scoring double in the fifth. Turner finished 4-for-4 with three doubles and drove in four runs.

Stallings struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning, singling to bring the Marauders back to just one run down. Adam Frazier doubled to left field to bring in Stallings and tie the game. Frazier was stranded at second base in the seventh.

Fort Myers took the lead against Ryan Hafner (L, 2-6) in the eighth. The Marauders got the tying run to third in the eighth, but Jose Osuna was thrown out at the plate on Jordan Steranka’s fly ball to shallow center field. After a two-run top of the ninth for the Miracle, the tying run batted against Zack Jones (S, 3) in the home half, but Frazier flew out with two on to end the game.

The rubber game of the series is Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

The box score for Tuesday's game can be seen here; the Play-by-Play review can be viewed here.