Gnats Game Notes: Monday, June 6 at Asheville
June 6, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (31-25, 1st, Southern) @ Asheville Tourists (27-30, t-3rd, Southern)
Game #57 - Road Game #29 - Monday - 7:05
RHP Taylor Whitenton (3-0, 2.14) vs. RHP Erik Stavert (1-3, 7.71)
McCormick Field, Asheville, NC
Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com
Tonight: The first place Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, play the middle game of a three-game series in Asheville against the third-place Asheville Tourists, SAL affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The Gnats finished their recent home stand at 5-2.
Last Night: The Gnats came back from 5-4 down to beat Asheville 8-5 Sunday afternoon. Darrell Ceciliani was 3-5 with a two-run home run in the eighth inning and LF Rafael Fernandez was 2-4 with a two-run homer in the first inning.
Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton is scheduled to make his eighth start of the year tonight. Outside of allowing six runs in a start against Rome on May 16th, Whitenton has given up just five runs in his other 39.1 innings this season for an ERA of 1.15 (5 ER/39.1 IP). Overall, his 2.14 ERA would be good enough for the top spot in the SAL, alongside teammate Chase Huchingson, but Whitenton is three innings short of qualifying for the League leader board. In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP), but this year, he's down to 3.4 BB/9 (16 BB/42 IP). Last year with Savannah, Whitenton was 8-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 18 starts and eight relief appearances with the Gnats. He fanned 113 batters and walked 68, the second-most in the SAL, in 108.1 innings. Whitenton started and took the loss in game two of the 2010 SAL Southern Division Championship series in which the Greenville Drive swept the Gnats 2-0. In 2009, Whitenton threw five scoreless innings over four games in the Gulf Coast League, striking out seven, walking five and yielding just one hit. The Mets drafted Whitenton in the 39th round of the 2009 draft out of Darton (GA) College. The Gnats are 6-1 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 4.4 runs per game.
Standings Update: The Gnats lead the Lexington Legends by 3.5 games for first place with 13 games to play in the first half. The Asheville Tourists and the Greenville Drive are now tied for third, 4.5 games out of first.
See, It's Ceciliani: Darrell Ceciliani has hit safely in his last five games, the longest active streak on the Gnats. In his last 10 games, Ceciliani is hitting .324/.419/.486 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with three doubles and a home run.
Surprise: Albert Cordero drew two walks yesterday after walking once in his first 34 games.
Livin' on the Edge: Closer Josh Edgin worked 1.2 innings to pick up his 11th save last night. He is second in the SAL in saves, and third among SAL relievers for the lowest batting average against (.146) and strikeout rate (12.62 K/9 IP). Edgin has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances and has not allowed an earned run since April 26, a span of 13 appearances.
Where the Homers Happen: The Gnats have hit 31 home runs in 28 games on the road this year and four in 28 games at home. Aderlin Rodriguez hit the Gnats' last homer at home on April 23, 19 games ago. The Tourists have hit 37 homers and given up 42 in 29 home games and hit 25 and given up 13 in 28 games on the road.
Strong Arms: The Gnats have the SAL's best ERA (3.21) and WHIP (1.23). Savannah's staff has given up 452 hits, the fewest in the SAL and are third in the League in strikeouts (486). The Gnats are tied for the fifth-fewest walks (172). The Gnats are the only team in the top five in most strikeouts and fewest walks.
Versus Asheville: This is the first and only series between the Gnats and Tourists in the first half. The division rivals play just seven games against each other in 2011. Asheville's only visit to Savannah is August 14-17.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 6, 2011
- Everything Comes Together in Blowout Win, 10-1 - Asheville Tourists
- Three-Run Seventh Lifts Shorebirds Past Power 10-7 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Drive Take Wild Affair with Legends, 6-5 - Greenville Drive
- Power Rally to Tie But Can't Maintain Momentum - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Eighth Inning Rally Provides Second Straight Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- GreenJackets Grab Another Late-Inning Comeback Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Game Notes: Monday, June 6 at Asheville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Lakewood Drops 5th Straight, Falls 8-5 Monday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Crawdads Pinch BlueClaws with 8-5 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Jurik Joins Rome - Rome Emperors
- Braves Win Pitching Duel at the Cannon - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- RiverDogs' Radio Announcer to Take Gilroy's Slammer Pizza Challenge - Charleston RiverDogs
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