Tigers knock Miracle out of first-half title chase

Jeff Frazier's eighth-inning single that broke his bat also shattered the Fort Myers Miracle's hopes of capturing the first half title in the Florida State League's West Division.

"It was a good bat. I had it for awhile. But it went down like a trouper, so I'm not too mad about it," Frazier said following the Tigers 2-1 win in front of 977 at Hammond Stadium on Wednesday night.

Frazier muscled an inside fastball off fellow FSL West All-Star Kevin Slowey that drove in Nick McIntyre to give Lakeland a 2-0 lead.

Entering their three-game series on Monday, Lakeland and Fort Myers were in pursuit of Dunedin for first place.

The Tigers got knocked out after losing the first two games, so Wednesday proved to be payback time.

Had the Miracle (39-31) won, they would have claimed the title.

"The fact they took us out of it, we wanted to do the same to them," said Frazier, a former standout at Rutgers.

Despite being swept by Tampa and finishing with an identical record as the Miracle, Dunedin finished first based on a head-to-head tie-breaker.

Lefty Jon Connolly, whom Detroit purchased from the Nashua Pride two weeks ago, and Miracle ace Kevin Slowey, who was called up to New Britain (AA) following the game, hooked up for a classic dual. Both were razor sharp.

Connolly had a perfect game snapped by Kory Feiner's two-out single in the sixth.

"I've faced that guy since I was in the Midwest League," said Miracle left fielder Garrett Guzman, who also packed his bags for New Britain after the game. "He's good. He throws a lot of change-ups. He's a spot guy. He doesn't miss over the plate too much. He makes you get yourself out."

Connolly allowed four hits in eight innings, struck out three and walked two.

Slowey, meanwhile, produced yet another stellar outing, scattering four hits and no earned runs before replaced by J.P. Martinez with two outs in the eighth.

Photo by KEVIN JOHNSON, Banner

Nick McIntyre crosses home plate with Lakeland's second run in the eighth inning as Miracle catcher Korey Feiner waits for the throw.

The Miracle have struggled all season generating offense when Slowey pitches, and Wednesday was no different.

"Early on we were anxious the first time through the order," said Feiner. "I think we thought the second time through we were going to start pounding (Connolly). He just chipped away at us and threw a lot of strikes and we couldn't put anything together."

Slowey departs Fort Myers with a 4-2 record, 99 strikeouts and a league-best 1.01 ERA. Perhaps most memorable about his tenure in a Miracle uniform were the minuscule nine walks in 88.2 innings.

It was only a matter of when, not if, Slowey would be headed to the next level.

"It's nice to be recognized anytime you do well," he said. "We have a ton of great pitchers on this team. It could have been a couple of other guys moving up, too, and I'm sure it will be. I'm looking forward to greeting a few guys in the next couple weeks off the plane in New Britain."

Why the Miracle struggle offensively when Slowey pitches has been a mystery since day one. Eight of his 14 starts finished as no decisions, though he was saddled with the loss on Wednesday.

"I don't know why it's like that. Every time he goes out there he puts up zero after zero and we put up zero after zero on our side as well," said second baseman Matt Tolbert, Slowey's roommate who was also recalled to New Britain.

Photo by KEVIN JOHNSON, Banner

Fort Myers second baseman Matt Tolbert fires a throw to first base to get Lakeland's Jeff Frazier in the fourth inning on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium. The Miracle's first half division title hopes ended with a 2-1 loss.

"After awhile when you don't get (Slowey) runs, it tends to wear on you a little bit, but our guys are trying," added Miracle manager Kevin Boles. "They want to score runs for him. Hopefully, now with him going to the next level they'll be able to do that in Double A for him."

On Wednesday, it wasn't just ineffective bats that hurt Slowey, but also a major defensive miscue. With two outs in the eighth, Nick McIntyre lofted a lazy flyball to left center. Guzman and center fielder Brandon Roberts, playing his third game with the Miracle, watched the ball fall between them. The error — charged to Roberts — allowed Brent Dlugach, who had singled with one out, to score the game's first run.

"Both called for it. The ball dropped in. It's unfortunate," said Boles.

Slowey intentionally walked Clete Thomas before Frazier notched his broken-bat single that drove home what proved to be the game-winning run.

In the Miracle's 2-1 win on Monday, Thomas was intentionally walked in the ninth and Frazier followed with a ground out. On Wednesday, the Miracle's strategy backfired.

"It was good to come through and get back at them for the other night when I didn't get the hit," said Frazier, who admitted he bears down more when a batter in front of him gets a free pass. "It's the sort of thing that fires you up to want to do the job that much better. When the result comes out like the way it did tonight, it's a great feeling."

In the bottom of the ninth, Feiner led off with a walk and Alexi Casilla singled. After Roberts flied out, Feiner scored on a ground out by Guzman.

Kevin Whelan relieved Danny Zell and got Brock Peterson to fly out to center on an 0-2 pitch that ended the game and the Miracle's hopes of finishing first.

• After wrapping up the first series of the second half against Clearwater tonight (7 p.m., Hammond Stadium), the Miracle visit Dunedin and Tampa next week. Dunedin comes to Fort Myers May 1-2 followed by Lakeland May 3-5.