Gnats Come Back for 6-5 Win in Wild 9th
April 25, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah, GA - Jeff Flagg delivered the game winning hit, a bases loaded single off the base of the wall in centerfield, to complete the Savannah Sand Gnats' (12-6) ninth inning comeback for a 6-5 win over the Hickory Crawdads (8-10) Sunday afternoon at Historic Grayson Stadium. The Gnats scored twice in the bottom of the ninth after Hickory had taken their first lead of the game with two runs in the top of the ninth.
The Gnats are now 9-2 in their last 11 games. Pending the results of the late games involving Augusta and Lexington, the Gnats will either have first place to themselves, or at worst, be tied for first place on Monday morning.
Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Gnats took advantage of the sixth Hickory Crawdads error of the day to mount a comeback against Hickory closer Josh Leuke. With one out, Gnats second baseman Alonzo Harris rolled a ball to shortstop that the Crawdads' Leury Garcia ran right by. With Harris as the tying run at first, Pedro Zapata bounced a hit and run ball through the right side to put runners at the corners with one out. Juan Lagares followed with a chopper to third that brought home Harris, who was running on contact. Harris beat the throw home from Crawdads' thirdbase man Matt West with a headfirst dive into home plate, tapping the dish with his left hand. With runners at first and third, the Crawdads elected to intentionally walk SS Wilmer Flores to load the bases after the count reached 2-0. That brought up Flagg, who drilled a liner straight away to centerfield off the base of the centerfield wall to bring home Zapata with the winning run.
The Gnats built a 4-0 lead through four innings, only to watch the Crawdads eat away at the advantage before overtaking Savannah with a two-run ninth. Hickory made it 4-2 when center fielder Miguel Velazquez crushed a two-run homer to left in the sixth. After a run in the seventh, the Crawdads got to Gnats reliever Brandon Sage for two in the ninth.
Savannah scored three times in the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead. With runners at second and third, Flores singled sharply to centerfield to bring home two runs and extend his hitting streak to ten straight games. Flores scored on an RBI groundout from C Dock Doyle. Two Hickory errors and Pedro Zapata's speed helped the Gnats add their fourth run in the fourth inning.
Mark Cohoon held Hickory to two runs through six innings, but was not involved in the decision. Gnats reliever Brandon Sage blew the save in the top of the ninth, but picked up his first win thanks to the team's bats in the bottom half. Leuke was charged with the loss, despite not allowing an earned run.
Monday, in game three of the four-game series, RHP Brandon Moore (3-0, 1.53) takes on RHP Matt Thompson for the Crawdads at 7:05 on $1 Monday at Grayson Stadium. The radio broadcast begins at 6:50 on News/Talk 630 WBMQ and online at www.sandgnats.com.
$1 Monday Presented by Food Lion, the Savannah Morning News and E93
Tickets to Monday's game are just $1 with a coupon available at local Food Lion stores, in the Savannah Morning News, and online at Savannahnow.com and E93fm.com. Also hot dogs and beers are just $1! Please call the Gnats at (912) 351-9150 for more information.
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South Atlantic League Stories from April 25, 2010
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- Drive Sweep Sunday Twinbill With Legends - Greenville Drive
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- BlueClaws Edged by Greensboro, 8-7 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- GreenJackets Rally Late to Sweep Twinbill - Augusta GreenJackets
- Charleston Conquers Rome, 3-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Sand Gnats Score Two Late Runs for 6-5 Walk-Off Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Gnats Come Back for 6-5 Win in Wild 9th - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Suns Level The Series With 8-6 Win Over 'Birds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Hood's Four RBI Lead Suns To Victory - Hagerstown Suns
- Berryhill Back in Rome - Rome Emperors
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
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