Gnats Chop Braves 6-2 Wednesday
July 7, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah pitching made sure that there would be no late inning drama Wednesday when they retired the final 15 Braves in a row to finish the game to secure a 6-2 win at Historic Grayson Stadium. The Gnats offense employed a balanced attack; eight of the nine starters in the Savannah lineup had hits.
In the fifth inning, with the Gnats holding a 3-2 lead, the Braves had first and third with no outs. Savannah (5-9/47-37) starter Darin Gorski set down the final three men in a row in the fifth to preserve the Gnats' lead.
Then Gabriel Zavala took care of the next nine, tossing three perfect innings of relief with five strikeouts while
closer Michael Powers completed the effort with a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout.
Only two of the final 15 Braves (7-7/37-46) batters even hit the ball out of infield.
The bottom of the Gnats' order strung together four consecutive two out hits to produce a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
With two outs and the bases empty, C Juan Torres and DH Jet Butler singled to put runners at the corners.
2B Alonzo Harris followed by dropping a single into shallow rightcenter to bring home Torres for a 1-0 lead.
SS Wilfredo Tovar brought home Butler and Harris with a two-run double down the left field line.
Gorski worked around trouble in the first four innings, with some help from his defense.
CF Pedro Zapata threw out a runner at the plate to end the first inning, and the Gnats cut down another runner between third and home in the second on a failed Rome double-steal.
However, in the fifth, LF Jake Hanson lifted a two-run home run off Gorski to bring Rome within a run at 3-2.
After Rome closed with a run at 3-2, the Gnats added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pull away late.
The paid attendance of 1,970 was the best of any Wednesday of the season for Savannah.
The Gnats head to Asheville to begin a five game series on Thursday.
Savannah will send RHP Taylor Whitenton (3-4, 3.58) against Asheville's RHP Chris Balcom-Miller (1-4, 3.14) with first pitch scheduled for 7 pm.
The radio broadcast on News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com begins at 7 pm.
SABL All-Star Game
The Gnats will host a special Thirsty Thursday on July 8th in conjunction with the Savannah Adult Baseball League All-Star Game.
Tickets are $3, the concession stands will be open, and all beers and sodas will be two-for-one.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, with gates opening at 6 pm.
Next Home Game
The Gnats return home to host the Greenville Drive next Wednesday, July 14.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 7, 2010
- Gnats Chop Braves 6-2 Wednesday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Suns Offense Cooled off by Heat Wave 7-2 - Hagerstown Suns
- Intimidators Earn Split, Win 7-4 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Gnats Game Notes: Wednesday, July 7 at Rome - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Pitchers Shut Down Augusta as Legends Win 4-1 - Lexington Legends
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Claws Five-Game Winning Streak Snapped, 2-0 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Despite Few Hits, GreenJackets Hang On in 5-4 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Romanski, RiverDogs Send Tourists Packing, Win 4-2 to Split Series - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawdads Drop Nail-Biter in Delmarva, 2-1 - Hickory Crawdads
- Bases Loaded Walk Lifts 'Birds Over Crawdads, 2-1 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Veeck Named One Of Charleston's 35 Visionaries - Charleston RiverDogs
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