Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 24 at Asheville
Published on August 24, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (23-33/65-61, 7th, Southern) @ Asheville Tourists (35-21/64-61, 1st, Southern)
Game #127 - Road Game #66 - Tuesday - 7:05
LHP Darin Gorski (5-8, 4.40) vs. LHP Wes Musick (6-6, 3.90)
McCormick Field, Asheville, NC
Radio: News/Talk 630; sandgnats.com
Today: The first-half-champion Gnats try to avoid a sweep in the final game of their four-game series against the Asheville Tourists, the SAL affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The Gnats return home to take on the Charleston RiverDogs on Wednesday.
Last Night: The Gnats took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh where the Tourists scored three times against reliever Gabriel Zavala to take a 4-2 lead. After the Gnats got a run back in the top of the eighth on a solo home run from SS Luis Nieves, Asheville finished the game's scoring with a three run eighth for a 7-3 win. Savannah starter Armando Rodriguez set a new held Asheville to one run in six innings and set a new career high with 12 strikeouts, which matched Brandon Moore for the season-high by a Gnats pitcher.
Now Pitching: Darin Gorski is scheduled to make his 16th start for the Gnats tonight. Gorski has given up seven earned runs in each of his last two starts and 16 hits in his last 9.1 innings pitched. Since returning to the rotation after the All-Star Break, Gorksi is 3-6 with a 5.79 ERA with 47 strikeouts against 20 walks in 51.1 innings pitched. Gorski's one start against Asheville, June 27, when he gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in three innings, was interrupted by rain in the bottom of the third inning. The Gnats are 5-10 when Gorski starts and have supported him with 3.93 runs per game, the third-lowest mark among Savannah starters. Last year for the Brooklyn Cyclones, Gorski was 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 62.1 innings over 13 appearances, 11 of which were starts. He struck out 50 batters and walked 26. The Mets selected Gorski in the 7th round of the 2009 draft out of Kutztown (PA) University where he earned the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Pitcher of the Year Award in 2009, his junior year. In 2009, Gorski led the Kutztown Golden Bears in strikeouts (100), innings pitched (78.2) and batting average against (.208). He was 10th in Division II in strikeouts.
Three Down: The Gnats have lost three games in a row. It is the sixth time in the second half that the Gnats have dropped at least three, after just two such streaks in the first half.
Road Data: The Gnats are 12-18 on the road in the second half after going 18-17 away from Historic Grayson Stadium in the first half.
Vs. Asheville: Savannah is 6-11 against Asheville, 3-6 at home and 3-5 on the road.
Land of Oz Not Tourist Friendly: After last night's RBI double, Travis Ozga is hitting .405/.488/.622 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 11 games against Asheville with two doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI.
Still the Best: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (2.99) and have allowed the fewest runs overall (477). The Lakewood BlueClaws, who were rained out last night, have given up 503 runs, the second-fewest. The Gnats (1078) are five behind Lakewood (1083) for the league lead in strikeouts.
Playoff Chase: The Asheville Tourists now lead the Greenville Drive by two games and the Augusta GreenJackets, who have lost four in a row, by five and a half games for first place in the Southern Division in the second half.
The Best of the Mets: The Gnats are still stuck on 65 wins, tied for their high as a Mets affiliate. Savannah finished 41-94 in 2007, 61-76 in 2008 and 65-72 last year. Last year after 125 games, the Gnats were 61-64, four games behind this year's edition.
Playoff Schedule: 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 24, 2010
- Gnats Series Preview: August 25-28 Vs. Charleston RiverDogs at Savannah Sand Gnats - Savannah Sand Gnats
- West Virginia Outlasts Braves - Rome Emperors
- Suns Split Double Header with BlueClaws - Hagerstown Suns
- Bullpen Extinguishes Suns in 2-1 Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Shorebirds Rally to Take Series Finale Against 'Dads - Hickory Crawdads
- Drive Win Third Straight Over Charleston, 4-2 - Greenville Drive
- Augusta Rallies Late to Beat Legends 5-4 - Lexington Legends
- GreenJackets Avoid Sweep With Walkoff Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- 'Birds Plate Six in Ninth to Top Crawdads, 11-6 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Greenville Cuts Charleston, 4-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Intimidators Return Home for Final Four Games of 2010 on August 25th - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Claws Drop Game One of Doubleheader, 5-3 in 9 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Crawdads Weekly - 'Dads Gear up for Potential Playoff Preview With - Hickory Crawdads
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Augusta State Golf Team Recognized Friday Night - Augusta GreenJackets
- Intimidators Lose Finale, Series - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 24 at Asheville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Municipal Stadium Garners High Marks from StadiumJourney.com - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs Spotlight Game Comes to Summerville - Charleston RiverDogs
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Weaver Placed on Dl - Rome Emperors
- Baseball America Recognizes Current & Former RiverDogs in "Best Tools" Issue - Charleston RiverDogs
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