Gnats Win Fourth Straight
Published on September 3, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
SAVANNAH, GA - The Gnats won their fourth straight game Friday night with a 5-4 victory over the Asheville Tourists in 12 innings at Historic Grayson Stadium. With the win, the Gnats improved to 7-0 at home in extra-innings in 2010.
The Gnats' win keeps Asheville a game and a half behind the Greenville Drive with three to play for the final playoff spot in the South Atlantic League. The Gnats, who are going to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, will play the second half champion, either the Drive or the Tourists, in the first round of the SAL playoffs presented by the Tate Law group.
In a 4-4 game, Savannah RF Cody Holliday led off the bottom of the 12th by drawing a walk, the team's 10th, a new season high. After an out, with the hit-and-run on, 2B Luis Nieves executed with the single through the left side to send Holliday to third to put runners at the corners with one out. SS Robbie Shields followed by chopping a ball on the right side of the infield bringing Holliday home with the winning run. Nieves was the hitting star for Savannah, going 4-4 with two walks and a double.
Three times, the Tourists established leads only to see the Gnats tie the game each time.
The Tourists grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Savannah starter Gonzalez Germen. The first four batters all singled on the way to Asheville's 2-0 lead. However, after allowing his fifth single in the first, Germen settled in and retired 13 of the next 14 men to face him.
The Gnats tied up the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Savannah drew five walks, including two with the bases loaded, and did not have a hit in the inning.
After the Tourists took a 3-2 lead with a run in the top of the sixth, the Gnats evened the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, again scoring without the benefit of a base hit. Savannah used two walks, a passed ball and a wild pitch to score their seventh inning run.
Asheville scored in the top of the ninth against reliever Marcos Tabata on a bloop single along the left-field line, but the Gnats tied the game on Asheville pitcher Sheng-An Kuo's two-base throwing error. Tabata worked scoreless innings in the 10th, 11th and 12 inning to earn his fourth win with Savannah.
The Gnats send RHP Taylor Whitenton (8-8, 4.62) to the mound Saturday at 6:05 pm against Asheville LHP Wes Musick (7-7, 4.14). Gates open at 5 pm and the pregame show on News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com begins at 5:50.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 3, 2010
- Gnats Win Fourth Straight - Savannah Sand Gnats
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- Grasshoppers Jump Out Early, Dump R'Dogs, 6-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawdads Slow Drive with 3-2 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Six-Run First Inning Lifts GreenJackets to 10-3 Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Drive Drop Tough One to Crawdads, 3-2 - Greenville Drive
- Rome Edges Legends 1-0; Towles Inducted into Legends Hall of Fame - Lexington Legends
- Cavan's Four-Hit Night Leads Charge in Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Pettibone, Claws Win Third in a Row 5-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Pettibone Pitches BlueClaws Past Intimidators 5-2 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds Unveil 2011 Season Schedule - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mahoney Placed on DL; Toussen Transferred to Charleston - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Game Notes: Friday, September 3 Vs. Asheville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Seesaw Battle in Lexington Swings Towards Legends - Hagerstown Suns
- Legends Hall of Fame Ceremony Friday Night - Lexington Legends
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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