BlueClaws Drop Second Game in a Row to Savannah

May 1, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release

LAKEWOOD, NJ - The Savannah Sand Gnats lost their Starting Pitcher after just 2 innings of work to an injury, but their bullpen came in and shut down the BlueClaws lineup en route to a 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon. Yohan Almonte appeared to injure himself while warming up to begin the bottom of the 3rd inning, and he was immediately removed from the game. RHP Luis Rojas came on in relief of Almonte and pitched 4 shutout innings to pick up his first win of the season.

The BlueClaws scored 2 runs in the ballgame both on solo Home Runs by RF Anthony Hewitt. Hewitt was 2-4 in the game with a stolen base and picked up his first 2 HR's of the season. DH Geancarlo Mendez had his 7th multi-hit game of the season with a 3-4 performance at the plate with a stolen base. Lakewood had at least 1 base runner in every inning, and they stranded 8 runners on base in the game.

The bottom of the 9th inning began with Lakewood trailing by 2 runs. anthony Hewitt led things off with a monster home run to Left Center Field to cut the deficit to just 1. Then C Cameron Rupp singled to RF to put the tying run on base. Savannah P Ronny Morla then balked the pinch-runner Aaron Altherr over to 2nd base with nobody out. Stephen Batts successfully bunted Altherr over to third with just 1 out, but Miguel Alvarez struck out on 3 pitches to make it 2 outs in the 9th. Then Morla got Edgar Duran to Foul Out to the third baseman to end the game.

Monday the same 2 teams will be back at it at FirstEnergy Park for game 3 of their 4 game series. LHP Jesse Biddle (0-3, 7.16 ERA) will get the start for Lakewood as he looks for his first win of the season, and RHP Eric Goeddell (0-1, 5.00 ERA) will throw for Savannah. First Pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm Monday evening.

South Atlantic League Stories from May 1, 2011

• Grace's Six Scoreless Innings Propel Suns to Game 2 Win over Braves - Hagerstown Suns
• Grimm Strikes Out 11, 'Dads Win 4-3 - Hickory Crawdads
• Six-Run Seventh Burns Drive Versus Tourists, 8-6 - Greenville Drive
• Intimidators Fanned 13 Times In 4-3 Loss To Crawdads - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Legends Hold on for 5-4 Win over Augusta - Lexington Legends
• Machado Homers in Shorebirds 2-0 Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Augusta Rally Falls Short in 5-4 Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
• Strong Pitching Dominates Braves - Rome Emperors
• BlueClaws Drop Second Game in a Row to Savannah - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• Bullpen Carries Gnats to 3-2 Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Participants Released for Mustache May Promotion - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Shorebirds Down The RiverDogs, 2-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
• Gnats Game Notes: Sunday, May 1 at Lakewood - Savannah Sand Gnats
• West Virginia-Greensboro Postponed - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Selik's Pitching Prowess Sends Suns to Series Opening Win - Hagerstown Suns

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