Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 10 at Charleston
Published on August 10, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (18-26/60-54, 7th, Southern) @ Charleston RiverDogs (22-22/54-59, 3rd, Southern)
Game #115 - Road Game #62 - Tuesday - 7:05
RHP Collin McHugh (3-8, 3.56) vs. RHP Brett Marshall (1-2, 3.95)
Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, Charleston, SC
Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com
Tonight: The first-half-champion Gnats look for their fourth win in a row in the finale of their game five game series in Charleston, S.C. against the RiverDogs, the SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees. Savannah last won four straight from July 7-10. The Gnats, who are now 3-5 on their nine-game road trip, are off Wednesday, and return home on Thursday, August 12 to host the Kannapolis Intimidators.
Last Night: The Gnats pounded out 15 hits on their way to a 7-4 victory over Charleston. Starter John Church gave up three runs on five hits in the first inning, but did not allow another hit in his five innings of work to pick up his sixth win. LF Nick Santomauro and SS Wilfredo Tovar each had three hits to lead the Gnats attack. The Gnats have 33 hits in their last two games in Charleston.
Now Pitching: Collin McHugh will make his 15th start of the year. He was a tough-luck loser in his last start, yielding just one unearned run in six innings in Savannah's 1-0 loss to Rome while fanning seven and walking two. Since rejoining the Gnats' rotation over the All-Star Break, McHugh is 1-3 wit ha 3.27 ERA in eight appearances with 45 strikeouts against 16 walks in 41.1 innings. He's allowed 24 runs, only 15 of which have been earned. The Gnats are 3-11 when McHugh starts and have supported him with 2.171 runs per game, the lowest of any Gnat pitcher. Last year, McHugh was 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 75 innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League. He struck out 79 and walked 21. McHugh was 13-9 with five saves in his career at Berry (GA) College and led the Southern States Athletic Conference in strikeout rate (9.05 K/9) in his junior year in 2008. The Mets drafted McHugh in the 18th round in 2008.
Nick's Got the Knack: Nick Santomauro rides a personal career-best nine-game hit streak over which time he is hitting .343 (12 H/35 AB) with three doubles. Santomauro ended last year with Brooklyn on a six-game streak. Last night was his first three-hit game as a Gnat after eight two-hit games.
Big Bats: The Gnats have won three games in a row for the second time in the second half on the strength of an offense that has hit .377 (43-for-114) with seven doubles and a home run in those three contests.
Meet the New Guy: Matt den Dekker, in his first two games with Savannah is 4-for-9 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI. As a senior, den Dekker helped lead the Gators to their first College World Series since 2005. The Mets drafted den Dekker in the fifth round out of the University of Florida in June 2010.
Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 5-3 against the RiverDogs, all on the road. The RiverDogs make their only visit to Savannah August 25-28.
As the Pitching Goes: The Gnats are 8-14 in their last 22 games. In those 22 games, Gnats pitching has given up seven runs or more nine times, and lost each game. The Gnats are 7-1 in that time when allowing three runs or fewer, but 1-13 when allowing four or more. Gnats pitching still leads the SAL with a 2.90 ERA, but with 968 strikeouts, is tied six behind Lakewood (974) for the league lead.
Playoffs: By virtue of winning the first half, the Gnats will have home-field advantage in the Southern Division Championship Series. The second half winner will host game one on Wednesday, September 8 before the series returns to Savannah for game two on Friday, September 10 and game three, if necessary, on Saturday, September 11.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 10, 2010
- Jackets Fall 2-1 in 14 to Tourists - Augusta GreenJackets
- Brigham and 'Dads Blank Grasshoppers, 2-0 - Hickory Crawdads
- Legends Drop Shorebirds 10-3 in Series Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Whipped in Series Finale - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Early Runs Aid Kannapolis Series Win, 8-2 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Legends Take Series Finale from Delmarva 10-3 - Lexington Legends
- Suns Hopes Spoiled in Road Series Finale - Hagerstown Suns
- Pesky Sand Gnats Smother Dogs in 4-2 Comeback Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Claws Crush Power in Historic 17-3 Beat Down - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Defeat Rome Again, 4-1 - Greenville Drive
- Gnats Halloween in August This Friday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 10 at Charleston - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Higashioka Activated off DL - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawdads Weekly - 'Dads Look to Wrap up Series Win in Greensboro - Hickory Crawdads
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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