Gnats Game Notes: Monday, May 23 Vs. Greenville
Published on May 23, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (21-22, 1st, Southern) vs. Greenville Drive (21-23, t-2nd, Southern)
Game #44 -
Home Game #21 - Monday - 7:05
LHP Chase Huchingson (1-2, 2.87) vs. RHP Kyle Stroup (1-4, 8.16)
Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA
Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com
Tonight: The first place Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, finish a four-game series against the second place Greenville Drive, SAL affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Gnats lead the Drive by one half game for first place in the SAL Southern Division. Savannah is off Tuesday, and heads to Augusta to play a four-game series Wednesday through Saturday.
Yesterday: The Gnats scored five times in the eighth inning to overtake the Drive on their way to a 5-3 win and first place. Cory Vaughn'sthree-run double tied the game at 4-4 and Vaughn scored the winning run on Blake Forsythe's RBI single through a drawn-in infield.
Now Pitching: LHP Chase Huchingson is scheduled to make his fourth start and his ninth appearance as a Sand Gnat tonight. In his last start, Huchingson gave up four second inning runs, and little else in the Gnats' 8-4 win over the Charleston RiverDogs. He fanned a season-high eight in earning his first win of the year. Huchingson pitched for the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League in 2010, going 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA in five games, including two starts. In 11 innings pitched, he gave up six runs, five earned, on nine hits and five walks while fanning 13. The Mets signed Huchingson as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Central Arkansas in 2010. Huchingson was an outfielder and a pitcher for the UCA Bears. He hit .236 in 89 AB and on the mound, was 1-4 with an 8.36 ERA in 10 starts and 13 appearances overall with 32 strikeouts in 42 innings. The Gnats are 2-1 when Huchingson starts and have supported him with 5.67 runs per game.
Standings Update: The Gnats own at least a share of first place for the third time this week, and are alone in first with a half-game lead, for the second time. The Gnats lead the Greenville Drive and Lexington Legends by one half game each, and the Asheville Tourists and Charleston RiverDogs by 1.5 games.
Robbie Rollin': Robbie Shields owns a Gnats' team-best 12-game hitting streak over which time he is 22-for-50 (.440) with seven doubles, two triples, 10 runs scored, eight RBI, five walks and six strikeouts. He is tied with Greenville's Miles Head for the longest active hitting streak in the League. In 19 games in May, Shields is now hitting .356/.422/.562 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with 12 extra base hits and eight walks against 10 strikeouts. He is tied for the SAL lead with four triples.
Iron Man: Cory Vaughn, who has played in all 43 of the Gnats' games, is the only player in the SAL who has played in every single one of his team's games. His .463 on-base percentage is second in the SAL and his 13 doubles are part of a 10-way tie for fourth.
Low Scoring: Despite owning the second-best ERA in the League (3.54), the Gnats have allowed the SAL's fewest runs (172). The Gnats are one of four teams who have allowed fewer than 180 runs. The Gnats are last in the SAL in offensive runs scored (169) and the only team below 183.
Home Helps: With their win yesterday, the Gnats improved to 6-6 in one-run games, 5-2 at home and 1-4 on the road. The Gnats are 6-5 in two-run games, 5-2 at home and 1-3 on the road.
Three or Four: The Gnats are 8-1 at home when scoring four or more, but just 6-5 on the road when scoring four or more.
Vs. Greenville: The Gnats are 5-2 against the Drive in 2011, all at home. Of the 20 meetings between the two teams, 12 games are scheduled for Savannah and eight in Greenville. The Gnats finish the first half with four games in Greenville June 16-19.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 23, 2011
- Crawdads Run Away with 15-5 Win in Rome - Hickory Crawdads
- Gnats Blank Drive 1-0 Monday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Big Innings Hurt Braves in 15-5 Loss - Rome Emperors
- Intimidators can't keep pace with Shorebirds - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds Drop Intimidators 9-6 to Win Series - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Help the 'Dads Raise Conrad's Self-Esteem Every Wednesday - Hickory Crawdads
- Gnats Game Notes: Monday, May 23 Vs. Greenville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- BlueClaws Win 6th Straight, Sweep Power in 10 Innings - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Shorebirds Game Notes: at Kannapolis - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Ties Game in Ninth but Falls in Tenth - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Scoma, GreenJackets Sting RiverDogs, Augusta Wins Series, 11-6 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Scoma's Grand Slam Keys Big Inning in 11-6 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Former Major Leaguer Whisler Returns to Intimidators - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Legends Take Third Straight Over Tourists 7-1 - Lexington Legends
- 5K at Whitaker Bank Ballpark to benefit LexArts, Legacy Trail - Lexington Legends
- Mike Flacco Named SAL Player of the Week - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Hoppers Stay Hot, Topping Suns 5-2 in Game 3 - Hagerstown Suns
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