Gnats Game Notes: Monday, September 5 at Lexington

Published on September 5, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (40-28/79-58, 1st, Southern) @ Lexington Legends (22-44/57-79, 7th, Southern)

Game #138 & 139 - Road Game #68 & 69 - Monday - 11:05

RHP Taylor Whitenton (4-4, 2.55) vs. RHP Carlos Quevedo (8-6, 4.56)

RHP Michael Hebert (3-1, 3.54) vs. RHP Ruben Alaniz (6-10, 4.64)

Whitaker Bank Ballpark, Lexington, KY

Radio: News/Talk630 and sandgnats.com

Today: The Gnats finish the regular season with a doubleheader against the Lexington Legends in Lexington, KY. The first half champion Gnats can clinch the second-half championship with a win in either of today's games. The Gnats are scheduled to begin the playoffs Wednesday at the home of the #2 seed and return home Friday, September 9 for game two.

Last Night: The Gnats and Legends were postponed by rain.

Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton will make his 22nd start of the year today. Whitenton's 2.51 ERA would be good enough to lead the South Atlantic League, but with 111 innings pitched, he needs one more inning to qualify for the League ERA title. Augusta RHP Shawn Sanford gave up three earned runs in six innings yesterday in Augusta's loss to see his ERA rise from 2.47 to 2.55. Similarly, Whitenton's .192 batting average would be the best in the SAL, 26 points better than Sanford's .218. Since June 11, in his last 65.1 innings over 13 starts, he owns a 1.65 ERA (12 ER/65.1 IP) with 27 walks, 58 strikeouts and 41 hits for an opponents' batting average of .174 (41 H/235 AB). In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP) but is down to 3.9 BB/9 (48 BB/111 IP) this year. Last year, Whitenton was 8-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 18 starts and eight relief appearances. He fanned 113 batters, but his 68 walks were the second-most in the SAL. 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 14-7 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 3.76 runs per game, the second-lowest run support among Gnats starters.

Win Counting: With one win Monday, the Gnats will win their 80th game, reaching the 80-win plateau for the first time since the 1994 team went 82-55 and won the SAL Championship. With 40 second half wins, the Gnats have already surpassed their 39 first half wins.

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

Playoff Chase: If the Gnats win the second half, they will face the Greenville Drive, who have clinched the second-best overall record in the division. The Gnats lead the SAL Southern Division by one and a half games over the Augusta GreenJackets, who lost 6-1 to Rome yesterday and the Greenville Drive, who beat Hickory 10-5. Asheville was eliminated with an 8-1 loss in Charleston. The only path to the playoffs for the Augusta GreenJackets is for the Gnats to lose both of their games Monday, and for the GreenJackets beat Rome. In that scenario, the GreenJackets, who have played two fewer games, would edge the Gnats on winning percentage .573 to .571 for the second half title.

Arms Race: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.26), WHIP (1.22) and fewest hits allowed (1058). The Gnats are fifth in strikeouts (1047) and have allowed the sixth fewest walks (426).

Vs. Lexington: The Gnats are 10-6 against the Legends this year, 6-3 at home and 4-3 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. The best-of-five SAL Championship Series will begin at the home of the Northern Division team on Monday, September 12, returning to Savannah, if the Gnats advance, on Thursday, September 15.

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 5, 2011


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