Gnats Game Notes: Friday, August 27 Vs. Charleston - Doubleheader
Published on August 27, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (24-34/66-62, 7th, Southern) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (30-29/61-67, 4th, Southern)
Game #129 & 130 - Home Game #63 &64 - Friday - 5:35
Game 1: RHP Collin McHugh (4-8, 3.71) vs. RHP Mike Solbach (4-4, 3.99)
Game 2: RHP Gonzalez Germen (NR) vs. RHP Shane Greene (0-0, 1.50)
Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA
Radio: News/Talk 630; sandgnats.com-begins at 6 pm
Tonight: The first-half-champion Gnats and the Charleston RiverDogs play a doubleheader to make up for last night's rainout. After the conclusion of the series Saturday night, the Gnats are off on Sunday before traveling to Greensboro for four games beginning Monday night.
Last Night: The Gnats and RiverDogs were rained out.
Now Pitching: Collin McHugh will make his 18th start of the year in game one. McHugh is 12th in the SAL in ERA at 3.71 and his 115 strikeouts are tied for eighth. He gave up five runs, four earned, in 4.1 innings in Savannah's 8-7 loss in Asheville last Saturday. First innings have been trouble for McHugh: he's given up 29 runs, 24 earned in his 17 first innings for a 12.71 ERA with 10 walks and 11 strikeouts. In all innings outside the first, his ERA is 2.18 (24 ER/99.1 IP) with 104 strikeouts against 24 walks. The Gnats are 5-12 when McHugh starts and have supported him with 3.41 runs per game, the lowest of any Gnat pitcher. Last year, McHugh was 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 75 innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League. McHugh was 13-9 with five saves in his career at Berry (GA) College and led the Southern States Athletic Conference in strikeout rate (9.05 K/9) in his junior year in 2008. The Mets drafted McHugh in the 18th round in 2008.
New Guy in Game Two: Gonzalez Germen, who was added to the Gnats roster today, will make his SAL debut in game two. Germen was 2-5 in 10 starts in Kingsport with 54 strikeouts against 11 walks in 61 innings. In three starts in August, he owned a 1.35 ERA in 20 innings with seven runs, three earned with 19 strikeouts against two walks. Gonzalez split last year between the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. He won the 2008 DSL Sterling Award as the team's MVP.
Double-Helping: Today will be Savannah's fourth full doubleheader of the year. The Gnats are 2-0-1 in doubleheaders this year, most recently sweeping two games from Kannapolis on Monday, August 16. Savannah split a double-dip 0-7 and 4-1 on Saturday, August 7 in Charleston. Four times this year, the Gants have finished a suspended game before a regularly scheduled game.
Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 6-4 against the RiverDogs, 6-3 in Charleston and 0-1 in Savannah.
Still the Best: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.07) although Lakewood (3.12) is just five hundredths behind. Savannah (1092) is 18 behind Lakewood (1110) for the top spot in strikeouts.
Playoff Chase: The Asheville Tourists lead the Greenville Drive by one game and the Augusta GreenJackets by three and a half games for first place in the Southern Division in the second half and the right to face the Gnats in the first round of the SAL playoffs. The Drive and Tourists were rained out Thursday and play two today.
The Best of the Mets: The Gnats, at 66 wins, have set a new high as a Mets affiliate. The Gnats finished 41-94 in 2007, 61-76 in 2008 and 65-72 last year.
Playoff Schedule: By virtue of winning the first half, the Gnats will have home-field advantage in the Southern Division Championship Series. The second half winner will host game one on Wednesday, September 8 before the series returns to Savannah for game two on Friday, September 10 and game three, if necessary, on Saturday, September 11.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 27, 2010
- Gnats Sweep Doubleheader Friday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- BlueClaws top 'Dads before 4,444 at L.P. Frans - Hickory Crawdads
- Winning Streak Snapped as Jackets Fall in 11 - Augusta GreenJackets
- Offense Propels Braves to Win - Rome Emperors
- Mier's Late Strike Sinks Kannapolis 5-3 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Legends win 5-3 as Mier delivers in ninth - Lexington Legends
- Savannah Takes Two from Charleston, 5-3 & 2-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Drive and Tourists Split Twinbill, Standings Remain the Same - Greenville Drive
- Suns Comeback from Down Four to Win 10-7 - Hagerstown Suns
- Claws Lock up Tenth Straight Winning Half, Top Crawdads 7-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Suns Drop Shorebirds 10-7 in Game Three - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Approach New Attendance Record - Augusta GreenJackets
- Gnats Game Notes: Friday, August 27 Vs. Charleston - Doubleheader - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Tourists Snuff Greenville's Attempt at Jinxing Asheville's Playoff Drive - Asheville Tourists
- Legends Open Final Homestand of 2010 Monday - Lexington Legends
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
