Miracle downs Lightning at Gezer

At the Baptist Village, the Netanya Tigers defeated the Ra'anana Express, 4-0.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Modiin Miracle 298.88 (photo credit: Nathaniel Edelstein)
Modiin Miracle 298.88
(photo credit: Nathaniel Edelstein)
In a game that could help determine the playoff picture, the third-place Modi'in Miracle defeated the second-place Tel Aviv Lightning, 5-2, on Sunday at Gezer Field in Kibbutz Gezer. LHP Andre Sternberg (3-2) of Modi'in earned the win pitching 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. RHP Craig Eagle started for the Miracle pitching 4.0 innings, allowing two runs (none earned) with six strikeouts. In the top of the first inning, Australian LF Moko Moanoroa, who was 1-for-3 with two RBI, drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. With the scored tied 1-1, the Miracle took the lead scoring three runs in third with four singles in the inning. At the Baptist Village, the Netanya Tigers defeated the Ra'anana Express, 4-0, in another important game that could impact the fourth and fifth seeds in the playoffs. The fourth-place Tigers are now three games ahead of the fifth-place Express. Since Netanya has an overall head-to-head record of 4-4 against Ra'anana, the Tigers still need to win one more game in order to clinch the fourth seed of the playoffs. Tigers RHP Justin Prinstein (2-4) dominated Ra'anana, allowing no runs on only one hit. CF Josh Doane, who was 2-for-3 with two RBI, hit a two-run homer (5) in the third inning to give the Tigers a 3-0. Israeli Shlomo Lipetz came into close the game in the seventh, with bases loaded and one out. Lipetz struck out the next two batters to earn his first save of the season. Ra'anana OF Stephen Raab recorded the Express' only hit of the game with a one out double in the bottom of the fifth inning. At Sportek, the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox clinched the overall top seed in the IBL playoffs with a 5-1 victory over the Petah Tikva Pioneers. Californian RHP Rafael Bergstrom (7-2) earned the victory, pitching six innings allowing one earned run with eight strikeouts. Australian DH Jason Rees (3-for-4) hit his league leading 17th home run of the season in the third inning to give the Blue Sox a 2-0 lead. The Pioneers answered back with one run in the bottom of the inning, but that is all they would score on the night.