Gnats Game Notes: Monday, August 16 Doubleheader Vs. Kannapolis -

Published on August 16, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (20-28/62-56, 7th, Southern) vs. Kannapolis Intimidators (23-24/54-62, t-4th, Northern)

Game #119 & 120 - Home Game #57&58 - Monday - 5:35

Game 1: RHP John Church (6-1, 2.26) vs. RHP Justin Collop (8-8, 4.59)

Game 2: RHP Collin McHugh (3-8, 3.45) vs. LHP Zach Piccola (2-4, 6.30)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com - beginning at 6 pm

Tonight: The first-half-champion Gnats play a doubleheader to finish up their season series against the Kannapolis Intimidators, the SAL affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The second game will begin one half hour after the conclusion of the first game.

Last Night: The Sand Gnats and Intimidators were postponed by rain.

Now Pitching 1: John Church will make his ninth start of the year after joining the rotation over the All-Star Break. Church, who gave up one run in his first three starts, has given up three runs or more in each of his last five. In his last five starts, Church has allowed 16 runs, 13 earned, in 22.2 innings for a 5.16 ERA, while walking 15 with 20 strikeouts while allowing opponents to hit .270 (24 H/89 AB). Church's 2.26 ERA would be good enough for fourth in the SAL, but he is still 19 innings short of qualifying for the league leaders. Church made 21 relief appearances with Savannah last year and one with Brooklyn in the New York-Penn League. With Savannah last year, Church was 1-4 with a 5.28 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 29 innings. The Mets drafted Church in the 23rd round of the 2009 amateur draft out of the University of West Florida.

Now Pitching 2: Collin McHugh will make his 16th start of the year in game two. In his last two starts, McHugh is 0-1 despite a 0.75 ERA (1 ER/12 IP) with 13 strikeouts against four walks. Since rejoining the Gnats' rotation over the All-Star Break, McHugh is 1-3 with a 3.04 ERA in nine appearances with 51 strikeouts against 18 walks in 47.1 innings. He's allowed 25 runs, only 16 of which have been earned. The Gnats are 3-11 when McHugh starts and have supported him with 2.171 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. He struck out 79 and walked 21. 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.

Double-Helping: Today will be Savannah's third true doubleheader of the year. The Gnats swept a doubleheader from Kannapolis on Monday, June 6th by scores of 4-3 in 11 innings and 7-1 in seven. Savannah split a double-dip 0-7 and 4-1 last Saturday in Charleston. Four times this year, the Gants have finished a suspended game before a regularly scheduled game.

Dekking it Out with Hits: Matt den Dekker, has hit safely in his first six games as a Gnat, going 11-for-24 with five doubles, five runs scored, and six RBI.

Rockin' Robbie: Robbie Shields, who homered Saturday as part of a 2-5 night, has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 12-35 (.343) with three doubles, a triple, a home run, four runs scored and four RBI.

Better Year: The Gnats are four wins away from setting a new high-win total as a Mets' affiliate after finishing at 41-94 in 2007, 61-76 in 2008 and 65-72 last year. Last year after 118 games, the Gnats were 57-61, five games worse than this year's edition. Last year's club dropped seven of eight to finish the season.

Vs. Kannapolis: The Gnats are 6-5 against Kannapolis this year, all at home. The Gnats and Intimidators will play 13 games over three series in Savannah. The Gnats and the Intimidators split their season series 2-2 in 2009.

Playoffs: 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.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



South Atlantic League Stories from August 16, 2010


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.

OurSports Central