News
Fort Myers secures first-half crown
Team books return to Florida State League playoffs
By Brittany Ghiroli / Special to MLB.com
06/18/09 11:30 PM ET
It had been a long road trip for Fort Myers.With a Florida State League South first-half title in sight, the Miracle went 1-3 in Daytona and lost two of their first three games in Dunedin. But Thursday, the first-place squad made sure its final road contest would be a memorable one.
"We finally brought [the looming division title] up before the game," second-year Miracle manager Jeff Smith admitted. "And we went out and got it."
Fort Myers wrapped up the elusive crown by taking down the Blue Jays, 7-2, at Dunedin Stadium.
"Your No. 1 goal is to move up through the system," Smith said. "But this was our other goal, and I'm thrilled to death with these guys. We had a rough road trip going and I'm really proud of them."
Since the Miracle (41-25) will play 69 games in the first half, and Charlotte only plays 68 due to rainouts, the Stone Crabs were mathematically eliminated, meaning the Miracle return to the postseason once again. Fort Myers swept Dunedin in the opening round in 2008 before falling to Daytona in the championship.
"It's unique because you have three first-half games left after the All-Star break," Smith said. "So to get this [clinch] before those three games kind of gives the guys a chance to relax a little bit during the break."
The Miracle will send seven players to the All-Star Game: David Bromberg, Chris Cates, Steve Hirschfeld, Chris Parmelee, Ben Revere, Steve Singleton and Spencer Steedley.
Revere's .325 batting average is second in the league, while Bromberg ranks sixth in ERA (2.22) and is tied for seventh in strikeouts (62). Carlos Gutierrez and Danny Lehmann also were selected but are unavailable due to their promotions to Double-A New Britain.
Revere had a pair of hits and drove in a run Thursday, while Parmelee and Allan de San Miguel both connected for RBI doubles.
Singleton tied up the game with a two-out, two-RBI single in the third inning. From there, starter Mike McCardell and relievers Santos Arias, Steedley and Blair Erickson held the Blue Jays scoreless.
Arias twice worked out of trouble and tossed two scoreless innings to put win No. 41 in the books.
"They really battled out there [Wednesday]," said Smith, who is in his fourth year managing in the Minors. "They battled the whole game and this is a big reward for them."
And while Smith admits the title-clinching win is a major confidence boost for the rest of the season, the skipper is cognizant of the other effects of the crown.
"It gets them a little hungrier to keep learning each day," he said. "And it helps us keep developing them."
And with any luck, some of the Miracle players will be in line to join Gutierrez and Lehmann in New Britain.
"That's what it's all about," Smith said.
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
