Gnats Game Notes: Friday, April 22 Vs. Lexington

Published on April 22, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (7-7, 4th, Southern) vs. Lexington Legends (7-8, 5th, Southern)

Game #15 - Home Game #8 - Friday - 7:05

RHP Gonzalez Germen (1-1, 9.45) vs. RHP Juan Minaya (0-1, 9.00) Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, play game four of a five-game series with the Lexington Legends, SAL affiliate of the Houston Astros. The Gnats are 5-2 in the first seven games of their nine-game home stand and Savannah has won six of their last eight overall.

Last Night: The Gnats used a four-run eighth inning to overcome a 4-2 deficit. It was the second night in a row that Savannah scored four times in an inning to complete a comeback. DH Cory Vaughn drove a double down the right field line to bring home two runs to snap a 4-4 tie and give the Gnats a 6-4 lead in the decisive eighth. The Gnats had at least one runner to second or third in every inning except the seventh.

Now Pitching: RHP Gonzalez Germen is scheduled to make his third appearance and his second start tonight. In his last appearance in relief of Chase Huchingson last Sunday, Gonzalez gave up two runs on seven hits in three innings. He struck out seven and walked one. Germen spent most of the 2010 season with Kingsport in the Appalachian League where he was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings over 10 starts. He struck out 54 and walked 11 for a healthy K/BB ratio of 4.9. He made two starts with Savannah to finish out the year. On August 27th, in his Savannah debut, in game two of a double-header, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the seventh.

Close Calls: The Gnats are 4-0 in one-run games, all played at home. Savannah is 0-3 in games decided by two runs, with two such contests played on the road.

Streaky Gnats: Since losing five in a row on their season-opening road trip, the Gnats have won six of their last eight games.

Tight South: With their win last night, the Gnats are up to fourth place in the SAL Southern Division, just one half game out of first place. The Asheville Tourists, Charleston River Dogs and Greenville Drive all sit in a three-way for first place at 8-7. With Lexington in fifth holding a 7-8 record, the top five teams are separated by just one game.

That's a Lot of Hits: The Gnats set a new season-high with 14 hits in a nine-inning game last night. Savannah also tied season highs for a nine-inning game with four doubles and 11 men left on base.

Déjà vu for Fernandez: In his first game back with the Gnats in 2011, Rafael Fernandez was 3-4 with a double and two runs scored. Exactly a year before, on April 21, 2010, Fernandez had three hits in Savannah's 9-4 win over Augusta.

Vs. Lexington: The Gnats are 2-1 against Lexington in 2011. This is the fourth of 16 meetings between the Gnats and Legends this year with eight games scheduled for both Savannah and Lexington. The Gnats were 6-2 versus Lexington in 2010 and a perfect 4-0 at home at Historic Grayson Stadium.

Cooler Honeck: Sam Honeck is 0-13 in his last three games, on the heels of an eight-game hitting streak. He is still leading the SAL in doubles (8), and is third batting average (.382 - 21 H/55 AB) and hits (21). Honeck played in just six games for the Gnats last year, hitting .091 (2 H/22 AB) with six walks for a .286 OBP in six games before breaking his leg in a collision at home plate in extra-innings on May 5th, 2010.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 22, 2011


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