DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Costello drilled a three-run home run as part of a five-run third inning that helped erase an early hole, as the Fort Myers Miracle rallied past the Daytona Tortugas, 8-5, on Monday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark to win their second Florida State League Championship in
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Costello drilled a three-run home run as part of a five-run third inning that helped erase an early hole, as the Fort Myers Miracle rallied past the Daytona Tortugas, 8-5, on Monday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark to win their second Florida State League Championship in the past five years.
The Miracle won the best-of-five series, 3-1.
After committing two errors in the second inning that led to three unearned runs, the Miracle responded in the third. With two runs already in on RBI singles from Jose Miranda and Travis Blankenhorn, Costello put the Miracle in front with a three-run shot over the wall in right.
Still leading 5-3 in the fifth, Fort Myers increased their lead with another big inning. Caleb Hamilton put the Miracle in front 6-3 with an RBI ground out before Shane Carrier plated two with an infield single to second.
Ibandel Isabel hit a two-run home run in the eighth to bring the Tortugas to within 8-5, but it was the closest they would come.
In his first outing of the playoffs, Edwar Colina (1-0) pitched 6.2 innings. The right-hander allowed three runs (zero earned) on two hits. He walked four and struck out six.
Alex Phillips followed Colina and gave up two runs in 1.1 innings before Hector Lujan pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.
Scott Moss (0-1) started for Daytona and took the loss after surrendering five runs in three innings.
The Miracle have now won Florida State League Championships in 2014 and 2018.
