Gnats Four Homers Ignite Comeback Bid
Published on June 3, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah, GA - The Savannah Sand Gnats hit four home runs to launch a comeback bid, but fell 8-6 to the Greensboro Grasshoppers Sunday afternoon at Historic Grayson Stadium. The Gnats (33-23) split the four-game series with the 'Hoppers (40-17).
Down 6-0, in the bottom of the fifth, Brandon Brown hit the first of the Gnats' four homers to get Savannah on the scoreboard at 6-1. However, the Gnats missed a chance to draw closer when they left the bases loaded in the frame. Savannah also left the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
In the seventh inning, after the Grasshoppers added a run in the top of the sixth, Travis Taijeron and Aderlin Rodriguez went back-to-back to pull Savannah within three runs at 7-4. Rodriguez finished 4-for-5 with a homerun, his second in as many days. It was his second four-hit game of 2012.
In the ninth inning with two outs, Rodriguez singled and then 1B Brian Harrison belted a home run to left field as the Gnats closed to within two runs at 8-6. RF Charley Thurber then singled to bring C Albert Cordero to the plate as the tying run, but he grounded out to end the threat and the game.
The Hoppers broke on top with two runs in the top of the second inning against starter Alex Panteliodis. The Hoppers loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the frame and then brought home runs with two RBI groundouts.
Greensboro chased Panteliodis from the game with four runs in the top of the fourth inning to expand their advantage to 6-0. The last batter he faced, CF Brent Keys, who was leading the SAL in batting average and on-base percentage entering Sunday, singled to left-center to score two runs. Panteliodis, who was charged with the loss, has not finished the fourth inning in four of his last five starts.
The Gnats are off on Monday, and begin a three-game series against the Southern Division-leading Asheville Tourists Tuesday at Historic Grayson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 and gates open at 6 pm. The radio broadcast, presented by Subway, begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 6:45.
Two-for-Tuesday presented by ESPN 102.1
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South Atlantic League Stories from June 3, 2012
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