Gnats Game Notes: Saturday, August 27 Vs. Charleston

Published on August 27, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (36-25/75-55, 1st, Southern) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (24-37/50-81, 6th, Southern)

Game #131 - Home Game #67 - Saturday - 6:05

RHP Erik Goeddel (2-4, 3.39) vs. LHP Vidal Nuno (1-1, 2.67)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 WBMQ and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats play the second game of a five-game series, their final home series of the 2011 regular season, against the Charleston RiverDogs, SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Last Night: The Gnats won a back and forth game that was interrupted by a 29-minute rain delay on a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the ninth for a 7-6 victory over RiverDogs.

Now Pitching: RHP Erik Goeddel is scheduled to make his fifth start since returning to the rotation after a strained right shoulder kept him out of action from May 23 through August 7. In his last four starts, he has a 5.50 ERA in 18 innings with 19 hits, eight walks (two intentional), 11 strikeouts and five wild pitches. He did not throw a single wild pitch in his first 43 innings this year before going on the disabled list. The Mets drafted Goeddel in the 24th round of the 2010 draft out of UCLA. He made only one professional appearance in 2010, throwing one inning with a hit and a strikeout for the GCL Mets on August 14. Goeddel underwent Tommy John surgery during his senior year of high school at San Jose's Bellarmine Prep in 2007 and missed most of the next two years at UCLA. In 2010 he was excellent for the Bruins out of the bullpen, striking out 59 and walking 23 while giving up 44 hits in 50 innings. In decimal form he had a 10.6 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and 7.9 H/9 at UCLA in 2010. Coming into the 2011 season, Goeddel was ranked as the Mets' 17th best prospect by Baseball America, and the team's 16th best by Baseball Prospectus. The Gnats are 6-5 when Goeddel starts and have supported him with 3.64 runs per game.

Aderlin's Homer History: Aderlin Rodriguez has set a new Gnats' high as a Mets affiliate with 16 home runs. Savannah has been a Mets affiliate since 2007. The previous high for Savannah home runs as a Mets' affiliate was Sean Ratliff's 15 in 2009. Luke Montz, who hit 19 home runs in 2005, was the last Gnat to hit as many home runs as Rodriguez's 16. The last Mets player in the SAL to hit 16 or more home runs in a season was Mike Carp who slugged 19 homers in 89 games in 2005 for Hagerstown.

Terrific Tovar: Wilfredo Tovar collected his fourth-straight two-hit game Thursday to push his batting line to .329/.398/.412 in 22 games in August. He is the third-toughest player in the SAL to strikeout with one whiff every 10.32 plate appearances. Tovar has gone eight straight games without a strikeout since a three-whiff game against Asheville on August 16.

Win Counting: With last night's win, their 75th, Gnats have equaled last year's win total when the team finished 75-64. The team needs seven more wins to catch the 1994 team, which, at 82-55, was the last to win 80 games.

Playoff Chase: With last night's Gnats' win and the Greenville Drive's 3-0 win over the Augusta, GreenJackets, the Gnats moved a game in front of Augusta for first place with nine to play. The Drive also moved six games in front of Augusta for the second-best record overall. Greenville can clinch finishing with a better overall record than Augusta with two more wins in the teams' next four games. If Greenville finishes with the second-best record overall, Augusta must overcome the Gnats and win the second half to make the playoffs.

Strong Arms: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.19), WHIP (1.21) and fewest hits allowed (997), and are the only team with fewer than 1,000 hits allowed. The Gnats are fifth in strikeouts (992) and sixth in walks allowed (396). Charleston has struck out the second-most batters (1102) and walked the third-most (482).

Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 7-4 against the RiverDogs this year, a perfect 4-0 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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