Gnats Game Notes: Monday, June 27 at Rome
June 27, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (3-1/42-31, t-1st, Southern) vs. Rome Braves (1-3/25-45, t-4th, Southern)
Game #74 - Road Game #35 - Monday - 7:00
RHP Gonzalez Germen (5-3, 3.75) vs. RHP Gary Moran (1-0, 3.24)
State Mutual Stadium, Rome, GA
Radio: News/Talk 630 WBMQ & sandgnats.com
Tonight: The First-Half Champion Gnats, head out on the road for the first time in the second half to begin a four-game series against the Rome Braves, SAL affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Gnats return home for an Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular on Monday, July 4.
Last Night: Taylor Whitenton and two relievers combined on a five-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over Augusta. After his six shutout innings last night, Whitenton is up to sixth in the SAL in ERA (3.02) and is now the league leader in batting average against (.190). The Savannah offense collected five hits and drew seven walks as both runners who scored, originally reached base via walks.
Now Pitching: RHP Gonzalez Germen is scheduled to make his 15thappearance and his 13 th start tonight. He is tied for 12th in the South Atlantic League with 68 strikeouts. Rain in Greenville held Germen to just two innings in his last start. It was the first time in 10 outings that he had failed to go five innings or more. He had gone 6 innings or more in seven of those 10. Germen's 72 innings pitched are second among currents Gnats behind Ryan Fraser (77).
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 6-6 when Germen starts and have supported him with 3.92 runs per game (47 runs/12 starts), the third-best run support of any Savannah starter.
Rafael's Rips: After going 2-3 with a walk and a run scored Sunday, Rafael Fernandez has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games going 15-for-38 (.395) in that time. He is hitting .347/.417/.493 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 21 games in June. His OPS has increased every month from .751 in April to .803 in May and .910 in June.
Cordero Coming Along: Albert Cordero is hitting .333/.382/.367 in his last 10 games (10-for-30). After hitting .182/.193/.218 in 16 games in May, Cordero is up to .286/.357/.388 in 16 games in June. Cordero did not draw a walk in April, earned one in May and four in June.
Close Calls: Of the Gnats' last six wins, five have been by one run and one by two runs. The Gnats are 28-15 in games decided by two runs or less overall, 24-5 at home and 4-10 on the road.
Coastal Emperors: The Gnats are now 28-11 at home, a .718 winning percentage and are 14-20 on the road a .412 winning percentage.
Recently Departed: RHP Greg Peavey, who was promoted from Savannah to St. Lucie immediately after the All-Star game made his Florida State League debut on Saturday and held the Jupiter Hammerheads, a Marlins affiliate, to one run on four hits in five innings with three strikeouts. Outfielder Cory Vaughn is off to a 5-for-9 start with a double and a home run in his first three games in the FSL. In four appearances, LHP Josh Edgin yet to allow a run, while striking out six batters and yielding just one hit.
Strong Arms: The Gnats have the SAL's best ERA (3.24), 42 hundredths of a run better than second-place Lakewood. The Gnats have the second-best WHIP (1.22) in the SAL, and have allowed the fewest hits (569) in the League.
Vs. Rome: The Gnats are 9-3 against Rome this year, 6-1 at home and 3-1 on the road. Savannah was 14-9 against Rome a year ago, 9-2 on the road and 5-7 in Rome.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2011
- Crawdads Outlast Intimidators in Extra Innings - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Five-Run Eighth Inning Gives Gnats See-Saw 13-8 Win Monday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Crawdads Outlast Intimidators in Extra Innings - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- 10th Inning Homer Gives West Virginia 2-1 Win Over Legends - Lexington Legends
- 10th Inning Homer Gives West Virginia 2-1 Win Over Legends - Lexington Legends
- Shorebirds Offense Explodes in 11-7 Win Over Greensboro - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Beat Legends in Ten - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Come Up Short Versus Tourists, 3-2 - Greenville Drive
- Fifteen Hits Not Enough to Carry Rome - Rome Emperors
- Offensive Woes Continue; GreenJackets Blanked Again - Augusta GreenJackets
- Lakewood Falls 5-2 Monday Night in Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Turley Twirls Another Beauty as 'Dogs Top 'Jackets, 3-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Game Notes: Monday, June 27 at Rome - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Crawdads Weekly - 'Dads Split Series with WV, Hit the Road - Hickory Crawdads
- Tourists' Wilson Leaves Asheville to Pursue College Football at Wisconsin - Asheville Tourists
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Jarret Martin Named SAL Pitcher of the Week - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Chris Garcia Activated - Rome Emperors
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