Gnats Game Notes: Monday, August 29 Vs. Charleston

Published on August 29, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (37-26/76-56, 1st, Southern) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (25-38/51-82, 6th, Southern)

Game #133 - Home Game #69 - Monday - 7:05

RHP Gonzalez Germen (7-6, 3.44) vs. RHP Manuel Barreda (4-2, 4.03)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 WBMQ and sandgnats.com

Tonight: In the second to last home game of the 2011 regular season, the first-half champion Gnats look to move closer to clinching a second half championship in game four of a five-game series, against the Charleston RiverDogs, SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Yesterday: The RiverDogs beat the Gnats 5-1 behind seven shutout innings from starter Vidal Nuno. SS Wilfredo Tovar had the best afternoon of any Gnat at the plate, going 2-4 with two doubles.

Now Pitching: RHP Gonzalez Germen, who is 8th in the SAL in ERA, is scheduled to make his 21st start of the year this evening. Germen worked out of the bullpen for three turns through the rotation in August to limit his innings. Ryan Fraser is scheduled to follow Germen this evening in a piggy-back appearance, just as Germen followed Fraser when he appeared out of the bullpen. With 117.2 innings pitched to his credit, he is third on the team behind only Fraser (134) and Angel Cuan (119). The right-handed Germen has a reverse platoon split where he's been more effective against left-handers (.238/.297/.314/.611 0- AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS) than right-handed batters (.271/.332/.436/.768). 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 with 54 strikeouts and 11 walks. 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 against Charleston, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the seventh. The Gnats are 10-10 when Germen starts and have supported him with 4.85 runs per game (97 runs/20 starts), the second-best run support of any Savannah starter.

Wire-to-Wire: The Gnats are attempting to win both halves in the Southern Division, something no team has done since in either division in the SAL since the Capital City Bombers accomplished the feat as a Mets affiliate in 2004.

Stable Roster: The Gnats placed reliever Luis Rojas on the disabled list with a left shin contusion today, and activated Hamilton Bennett. It was the 52nd transaction by the Gnats this year and 22nd in the second half. Last year, by this date, the Gnats had made 50 transactions in the second half alone and 79 for the year.

Hot Finishes: Wilfredo Tovar rides a seven-game hitting streak into tonight's action and is hitting .355/.421/.473 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 24 games in August... Darrell Ceciliani is hitting .303/.404/.382 in August with nine stolen bases (9-for-10), his most stolen bases in any month in 2011, surpassing his six in June when he was 6-for-10...Albert Cordero is hitting .344/.385/.479 in 24 games in August ... Rafael Fernandez is hitting .290/.409/.473 with 19 walks, a new season-high for walks in a month by a Gnats batter.

Playoff Chase: Yesterday's Gnats' loss tightened up the Southern Division standings. The Gnats slipped to one game in front of the Augusta GreenJackets, two in front of the Greenville Drive, and three in front of the Asheville Tourists for first place with seven games to play. If the Gnats win the second half, they will play the team with the next best overall record. Greenville is six games in front of Augusta, and can clinch finishing with a better overall record with one more win in the final two games of the teams' five-game series.

Strong Arms: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.20), WHIP (1.21) and fewest hits allowed (1012). The Gnats are fifth in strikeouts (1009) and have allowed the sixth fewest walks (406). Charleston has struck out the second-most batters (1109) and is tied for the third-most walks (487) after issuing zero walks Sunday.

Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 8-5 against the RiverDogs this year, 5-1 at home and 3-4 on the road.

Playoff Schedule: Savannah will play the number two seed in the best-of-three Southern Division Championship series beginning on the road on Wednesday, September 7, returning to Savannah on Friday, September 9, for game two. Game three, if necessary, will be held Saturday, September 10.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2011


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