Threshers Take Miracle to Extra Innings

And Extra Innings, And More Extra Innings

PLAYER Pos. H/AB Details Matt Thayer CF 1-8 - Peeter Ramos 2B 3-8 Run, BB Mike Costanzo 3B 1-9 RBI Mike Dzurilla 1B 1-8 - Branden Florence LF 2-7 RBI, BB JJ Johnson PH/LF 0-1 - Brad Harman SS 1-6 BB, sacrifice Brian Sellier DH 1-5 HR, RBI, IBB, BB Zach Norman C 1-3 Double, Run Avelino Asprilla PH 1-1 Double, Run Tuffy Gosewisch C 1-4 BB Brian Burgamy RF 1-6 Sacrifice hit

PITCHER IP R H K BB JA Happ 6.0 3 4 3 2 Jake Barrack 2.0 0 0 1 0 Brian Reed 1.0 0 0 1 0 Joe Bisenius 2.0 0 2 2 0 Andy Baldwin 4.0 0 0 4 1 Matt Parris 3.0 0 1 1 0 Nate Johnson(W: 1-0) 2.0 0 1 2 1 Adam Shafer(S: 4) 1.0 0 0 0 0

JA Happ got the start for the Threshers on Thursday while Kevin Slowey got the nod for the Miracle. It was the Miracle offense who struck first as Happ struggled in the first inning and gave up three runs and three of the four hits he would surrender. He then went five more innings giving up only one more hit.

The Threshers offense struggled to get anything going, but finally got their first hit and first run of the game when Brian Sellier lead off the inning with a solo home run to cut the team's deficit to 3-1.

As the pitchers dual continued for the next several innings things began to happen for the Threshers in the seventh inning when Peeter Ramos singled on a line drive to right fielder Ruben Sierra down from the majors on a rehab assignment. Mike Costanzo then opped out before Michael Dzurilla singled on a line drive to right field sending Peeter Ramos to 3rd.

After a pitching change Branden Florence grounded into a fielders choice that scored the Petter Ramos from third before the inning ended with the Miracle clinging to a 3-2 lead.

In the eighth inning the Threshers continued to press things bringing in Avelino Asprilla as a pinch hitter to start the inning. Manager Greg Legg's gamble paid off when Asprilla doubled to start the frame. Brian Burgamy was then able to get a sacrifice hit to move Asprilla to third with an out and the top of the order coming up. The Miracle then helped the Threshers cause when a wild pitch allowed the tying run to come in from third and suddenly it was a whole new ballgame tied up at 3-3 with one out in the eighth. The MIracle buckled down an escaped the inning with no more damage, but things had changed and it was the Threshers' turn to play some defense.

Jake Barrack who had entered the game for the Threshers in the seventh remained on the hill in the eighth and quickly downed the Miracle in order sending his sixth and the eleventh consecutive Miracle batter overall to the bench. It was a nice outing from Barrack who had only gone one-third of an inning in his first outting giving up three runs on four hits and jacking his ERA to an ugly 20.25. This shot of good play should return some much needed confidence that he will need as the season progresses.

In the ninth inning the Threshers went to work to try to end the game in regulation and keep things from going into extra innings. After a quick out by Mike Dzurilla Branden Florence came up, but he also went down on a chopper back to the pitcher. Brad Harman then came up as the Threshers last hope of a regulation win, but wnet down on strike for the third time of the game, and it was onto the bottom of the inning with the Miracle now looking to close out the game in regulation.

As fate would have it Rubin Sierra was the Miracle's lead off hitter in the ninth to face Threshers' closer Brian Reed coming in from the bullpen. Sierra was unable to get a miracle going though as he went down on an infield ball to the shortstop and was out at first. Two more quick outs, and it was onto the 10th for the Threshers' first extra-innings game of the year.

In the tenth Brian Burgamy got his first hit of the game, but that was all the Threshers could get and it was to the bottom of the inning with the Miracle looking for closure. Joe Bisenius came in from the bullpen for the Threshers still with an 0.00 ERA after two previous appearances.

After a lead off single the Miracle put on a sac bunt play, but couldn't get it whn a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play got both the batter and runner on 3-2 cound hit and run attempt from the Miracle. One more quick out and another inning of free baseball was on the way.

Nothing doing for the Treshers in the eleventh, and the Miracle came to bat again getting a lead off single. This inning they were able to put down a sac bunt as the runner moved to second with the batter out at first. Joe Bisenius was able to get the second out, and then the third out sent things to a third free freame as the game went into the twelfth.

This time it was the Threshers who got the lead off runner on when Branden Florence singled to start things, and he moved to second on a sac bunt from Brad Harman. Brian Sellier who had a home run earlier was then intentionally walked to bring up Tuff Gosewisch for his second at bat of the game but again the boys ran out of luck and the Miracle got a twelfth shot at a win. The Miracle could do nothing either, and it was on to lucky number thirteen.

Thirteen innings... then fourteen innings.

Fifteen innings, then sixteen innings! Seventeen, do I hear seventeen?

Yes Seventeen, can week make it eighteen?

Eighteen it is...and let's make it nineteen...

Then twenty innings, and the longest game in team history just keeps getting longer!

The Threshers load the bases with no outs in the twentieth...and 0-8 Mike Costanzo gets a hit to score a run, and the Threshers take the lead.

Onto the bottom of the twentieth and Fort Myers needs a Miracle! No miracle was to be had this evening however, and the Threshers reigned supreme after five hours and change.

Jeff Crupper dot Com Shop Now Open!