Gnats Game Notes: Saturday, September 17 Vs. Greensboro
Published on September 17, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (2-2/2-1/40-30/79-60) vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers (2-2/2-0/39-30/79-60)
Championship Series Game 5 - Saturday - 6:05 pm
LHP Angel Cuan (10-3, 3.56/0-0, 2.61) vs. RHP Kyle Winters (8-3, 4.10/0-0, 0.00)
Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA
Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com
Tonight: With the best-of-five South Atlantic League Championship Series tied 2-2, the Savannah sand Gnats take on the Greensboro Grasshoppers in a winner-take-all game five. The Southern Division Champion Gnats are looking for their first SAL Championship since 1996 while the Northern Division Champion 'Hoppers are trying to win their first title since 1982.
Last Night: The Grasshoppers overcame a Savannah rally to beat the Gnats 12-10 in 11 innings. Down 7-2 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Gnats erupted for seven runs to take a 9-7 lead, only to watch the 'Hoppers tie the game at 9-9 with two outs in the top of the ninth. It was just the second time all year that the Gnats scored seven runs in an inning - matching the team's seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth in a 11-8 win over the Charleston RiverDogs on August 8.
Now Pitching: LHP Angel Cuan, who finished 10th in the SAL in ERA (3.56) in the regular season, will make this third post-season start for the Gnats tonight in a pitching rematch of game one of the SAL Championship Series. Cuan lasted 4.1 innings against the Grasshoppers on Monday in Greensboro, yielding three runs on six hits, including two homeruns without walking a batter and striking out four. It was the first time in 15 starts that Cuan had not finished five innings, and the just the third time in 15 starts in which he did not finish six innings. At home during the regular season, Cuan put up an ERA of 2.83 with an opponents' batting average of .235 and with a HR rate of .25 HR/9 IP (2 HR/70 IP). On the road, he had a 4.50 ERA, a .295 opponents' batting average allowed 1.33 HR/9 IP (8 HR/54 IP). During the regular season, his 10 wins led the Gnats and was tied for fourth in the SAL and he walked just 16 batters in 124 innings, a rate of 1.16 BB/9. Last year, Cuan was second only to teammate Yohan Almonte in the New-York Penn League with a 2.03 ERA. He was fifth in the NYP in strikeouts (64) and fourth in innings pitched (79.2) and fewest baserunners/9 IP (9.94). Cuan pitched for his native Panama in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In the playoffs and regular season, the Gnats are 11-5 when Cuan starts and have supported him with 4.4 runs per game (71 runs/16 games).
Happy at Home: The Gnats are now 3-1 at home in the playoffs. Including the regular season and playoffs, the Gnats are 51-23 at home, thanks in part to a 24-6 record in one-run games. On the road, Savannah is 31-41 and 4-15 in one-run games. The 'Hoppers are 46-26 at home and 36-35 on the road.
SAL History: This is the first time the SAL Championship Series has gone to five games since the Hickory Crawdads defeated the Columbus RedStixx three games to two in 2002. Hickory won the first two games and then Columbus the next two to force game five.
DC: Darrell Ceciliani has hit safely in each of his last six playoff games going 12-for-25 (.480) in those contests. He is hitting .414 (12-for-29) in the playoffs. Through August 1, in his last 36 total games, he is hitting .326/.428/.440 with six doubles, five triples and 24 walks against 32 strikeouts in 141 AB. His four strikeouts Friday equaled his total from the first six playoff games.
Bon, Bonfe: Joe Bonfe has hit safely in each of his last five games going 9-for-23 (.391) with four doubles, four runs scored and 3 RBI in game three versus Augusta and the first four games of the Championship Series.
Go Long: Games three and four of the SAL Championship Series have each gone 11 innings, and taken a combined eight hours and six minutes to play. Each game in the Championship series has lasted at least three hours.
Savannah Playoff History: The Gnats are looking for their first SAL Championship since 1996 when the team won the League in their first year with the Gnats moniker. The Savannah Cardinals won back-to-back SAL titles in 1993 and 1994. The Gnats are looking for their fourth SAL Championship in the League's modern era, which dates to the 1980 season, and 10thoverall. The Savannah franchise won its first SAL championship in 1906. Savannah also won SAL titles in 1913, 1914, 1938, 1940 and 1962. Between 1937 and 1962, the South Atlantic League had a Shaughnessy Playoff System, so the team with the best won-loss regular season was named the champion.
Mets SAL History: The Mets affiliate has not won a South Atlantic League Championship since the Capital City Bombers (Columbia, SC) captured the 1998 SAL title. Capital City also won the SAL title in 1991 and 1986.
Vs. Greensboro: The Gnats are now 5-7 against Greensboro including the regular season and playoffs, 2-4 at home and 3-3 on the road. The 'Hoppers were the only team to win a series from the Gnats at home at Historic Grayson Stadium in the second half of the regular season where the Gnats had a 6-1-2 record in their nine second half series. In their eight games head-to-head during the regular season, the Gnats outscored the Grasshoppers 42-31, and in the first four games of the playoffs, the tally has been 25-22 Gnats, for a total of 67-53.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 17, 2011
- 'Hoppers Beat Gnats 7-3 Saturday to Claim SAL Championship - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Gnats Game Notes: Saturday, September 17 Vs. Greensboro - Savannah Sand Gnats
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