Stone Crabs shut out Miracle 2-0

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (June 18, 2019) - The Charlotte Stone Crabs' pitching staff made a statement to start the second half Tuesday, turning in a three-hit shutout of the first half champion Fort Myers Miracle in a 2-0 blanking at Charlotte Sports Park.  
Charlotte (36-31, 1-0) right-hander Tommy Romero (4-2) led the outstanding pitching performance, allowing only two hits over 6.1 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Stone Crabs relievers Chandler Raiden and Mikey York did the rest. Raiden struck out a season-high four over 1.2 perfect frames, while York fanned a pair in the ninth to notch his sixth save.
Crabs outfielder Thomas Milone led both run-scoring innings. In a scoreless game in the bottom of the second, Moises Gomez led off with a single to left. After he advanced to second on a Kaleo Johnson hit by pitch, Milone stroked a single to center to score Gomez and make it 1-0.
Still up by one in the bottom of the seventh, Milone earned a hustle double on a grounder into right center. After Zach Rutherford bunted him to third, Carl Chester lined an RBI single to left center to cap the scoring at 2-0.
Tuesday's shutout is the Stone Crabs' fifth of the year. The three hits they allowed is tied for the fewest in any game this season. The victory brings Charlotte to five games over five hundred for the first time all year.
The Stone Crabs and Miracle will now play a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Hammond Stadium. Michael Plassmeyer (2-2, 2.97) will take on Edwar Colina (3-2, 3.53) of the Miracle in Game 1, while Joe Ryan (3-2, 2.40) duels Melvi Acosta (4-1, 2.72) in Game 2. Coverage of the twin bill starts at 4:15 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.