May 3, 2008 - FORT MYERS, F.L. (May 3, 2008) – Home is certainly sweet for the Fort Myers Miracle as 3,969 fans saw the Miracle pick up their tenth-straight home win in a 5-2 decision over the Daytona Cubs on Saturday night. On fireworks night at Hammond Stadium, fans were treated to an in-game firework as Edward Ovalle helped the first-place Miracle to their fifth-straight overall win with a three-run blast in the third.
As seen many times in 2008, the Miracle jumped on the board early and often, putting the opponent in a deep, early hole. Whit Robbins delivered in the Miracle second with a out-out triple to center, coming around momentarily on a Juan Portes sacrifice-fly to left.
The four-run third frame for the Miracle began with Brian Dinkelman’s double to right and a base on balls, issued by Cubs starter and former Miracle Adam Harben, to right-fielder Rene Tosoni. Danny Valencia would cash in with his team-leading 26th RBI with a single to left, scoring Dinkelman, for a two-run lead. Ovalle followed two hitters later with his second bomb in as many nights, a three-run shot to left for the five-run margin.
Daytona would put a couple of late runs on the board threatening to make a comeback, but closer Anthony Slama ending up knocking out the Cubs for his fifth save of the year. After a lead-off walk to Jonathan Wyatt and an infield-single by Jonathan Mota, right-fielder Jim Adduci connected on an RBI-single to center putting Daytona on the board at 5-1. Wyatt would bring the Cubs to within three with his RBI-double in the ninth before Slama got a groundball off Mota’s bat to end the game.
Despite being out-hit by the Cubs 10-8, the Miracle were able to ride a solid outing from starter Alex Burnett for their fifth-straight win. Burnett shutout the Cubs for six innings on Saturday allowing five hits, a walk while fanning three.
The Miracle and Cubs square off in game two of their four-game set on a “Family Fun Sunday” at 1:05 p.m. Fans can receive four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and a game program for just $20. The Miracle Kids Club will also meet on Sunday as the Miracle send lefty Tyler Robertson (0-1, 2.84) to the mound opposite RHP Alex Maestri (2-1, 1.44) for the Cubs. The afternoon matinee can be heard on AM-1410/1660 in SW Florida beginning with the pre-game show at 12:50 p.m.
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