Bullpen Carries Gnats to 3-2 Win
May 1, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
LAKEWOOD, NJ - The Savannah Sand Gnats bullpen held the Lakewood BlueClaws to one run in seven innings to carry the Gnats to a 3-2 win over the BlueClaws 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in Lakewood, NJ. The Gnats (9-14) have now won two games in a row.
Savannah broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run seventh inning. 2B Wilfredo Tovar began the frame by smashing a double into left field. LF Cory Vaughn brought Tovar home with a clean single into center field for a 2-1 Savannah lead. After SS Robbie Shields walked to push Vaughn to second, Vaughn scored on a throwing error on Lakewood 2B Jeremy Barnes for the Gnats' third run.
Lakewood's RF Anthony Hewitt gave the BlueClaws (10-13) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second off Savannah starter Yohan Almonte. Almonte lasted just two innings before handing the game over to the bullpen.
Three Savannah relievers combined to limit the BlueClaws to one run in seven innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Luis Rojas relieved Almonte with four scoreless innings, striking out three BlueClaws to earn his first win of 2011. Josh Edgin worked the seventh and eighth, yielding just one single while striking out two.
Savannah reliever Ronny Morla had to wriggle out of trouble in the ninth. Hewitt homered off Morla leading off the frame to pull Lakewood back within one at 3-2. C Cameron Rupp then singled into centerfield to put the tying run aboard with no outs. A Morla balk and a sacrifice bunt advanced speedy pinch-runner Aaron Altherr, carrying the tying run, to third with one out. However, Morla recovered, fanning CF Miguel Alvarez and inducing a foul pop up from SS Edgar Duran to lock up his first save of the year.
The Gnats tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning. Aderlin Rodriguez doubled to extend his hitting streak to eight games and came home on a sacrifice fly from C Blake Forsythe.
Looking for their third win in a row, the Gnats will send RHP Erik Goeddel (0-1, 5.00) to the hill Monday against LHP Jesse Biddle (0-3, 7.16) for Lakewood. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm. The radio broadcast on News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com will begin at 6:30 pm.
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