Gnats Game Notes: Thursday, June 16 at Greenville - 7 Pm
Published on June 16, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (39-26, 1st, Southern) @ Greenville Drive (34-32, 2nd, Southern)
RHP Taylor Whitenton (3-1, 3.38) vs. LHP Manuel Rivera (4-3, 4.10)
Game #66 - Road Game #31 - Thursday - 7:00
Fluor Field, Greenville, SC
Radio: News/Talk 630 WBMQ & sandgnats.com
Tonight: The First-Half Champion Gnats begin a four-game series, their last of the half, against the Greenville Drive, SAL affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, have won eight games in a row, are 13 games over .500 for the first time in 2011, and own the League's best record.
Last Night: The Gnats scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome the Rome Braves 6-5 for their third-straight one-run win. SS Wilfredo Tovar was 3-5 with a double and a triple, drove in two runs and scored the go-ahead run.
Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton, who was selected to start the All-Star Game for the Southern Division, is scheduled to make his 10th start of the year tonight. Despite four walks, he threw five shutout innings in his last start. In his last 13.2 innings over his last three starts, Whitenton has fanned 18. Whitenton is tied for 11th in the SAL in strikeouts (65) and has pitched fewer innings (50.2) than anyone else in the top 13. In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP). This year, after walking 10 batters in his last three starts, he's walked 4.4 BB/9 (25 BB/50.2 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 7-2 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 4.0 runs per game.
Terrific Tovar: Wilfredo Tovar has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games going 20-48 (.417) with four doubles, a triple, three walks, two strikeouts and four RBI in that span.
Playoff History: The Gnats are heading to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Savannah franchise last went to the playoffs in consecutive years in 1993 and 1994, when the Savannah Cardinals won the Southern Division and the League Championship both years. Savannah won the SAL Championship in 1996 and then did not make the playoffs until the Gnats won the 2010 first half championship.
Hot Like the Weather: The Gnats have won eight games in a row for the first time as a Mets affiliate and have won 20 of 24 games, an .833 winning percentage. Since slipping to 7-14 after April 29, the Gnats are 32-12, a .744 winning percentage.
Playoff Schedule: The Gnats will have home field advantage in the best-of-three Southern Division Championship Series which will begin at the home of the Second Half Champion on Wednesday, September 7 and then return to Savannah on Friday, September 9 for game two and, if necessary, game three on Saturday, September 10.
Strong Arms: The Gnats have the SAL's best ERA (3.09), and WHIP (1.22). Savannah is third in strikeouts (558) and has allowed the third-fewest hits (517) in the League.
Vs. Greenville: The Gnats are 6-2 against the Drive this year over two series in Savannah. After this weekend, Gnats and Drive next play each other during consecutive weekends in August.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 16, 2011
- Drive Walkoff Snaps Savannah Winning Streak - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Tip Lakewood in Rain-Shortened Game - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Lakewood Falls 4-3 to West Virginia in Rain Shortened Game - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- 1st Place 'Dads Top RiverDogs, 5-1, Before 3,113 - Hickory Crawdads
- Shorebirds Take Two from Hagerstown - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Bullpen Holds Slim Lead in 6-5 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Drive Walk-Off Again with 3-2 Victory - Greenville Drive
- Strong Lexington Pitching Shuts Out Braves - Rome Emperors
- Legends Shut out Braves 2-0 - Lexington Legends
- Manzueta, Hoppers 2-hit Intimidators - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Jackson Overpowers R'Dogs in 'Dads 5-1 Series-Opening Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Game Notes: Thursday, June 16 at Greenville - 7 Pm - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Matt Suschak Suspended - Rome Emperors
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