Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 30 Vs. Charleston

Published on August 30, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (37-27/76-57, 1st, Southern) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (26-38/52-82, 6th, Southern)

Game #134 - Home Game #70 - Tuesday - 7:05

RHP Taylor Whitenton (4-4, 2.55) vs. RHP Shane Greene (4-13, 4.14)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 WBMQ and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The Gnats finish off the home portion of their 2011 regular season schedule against the Charleston RiverDogs, SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees. After an off-day Wednesday, the Gnats head to Lexington for five games Thursday to Monday to finish the regular season. The Gnats will begin the playoffs Wednesday at the home of the #2 seed and return home Friday, September 9.

Last Night: The RiverDogs raced out to a 7-0 lead and survived a Gnats' comeback in the middle innings to beat Savannah 9-6. The nine runs the Gnats allowed tied a season-high at home.

Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton will make his 21th start of the year tonight. If Whitenton had enough innings to qualify (he's 0.2 short) his 2.55 ERA would be the best in the SAL and his .186 batting average against would be the best in the League. Whitenton needs to throw 5.1 innings tonight to ensure that he will have enough innings to qualify for the end of season ERA title. Since June 11, in his last 60.1 innings over 12 starts, he owns a 1.64 ERA (11 ER/60.1 IP) with 24 walks, 53 strikeouts and 35 hits for an opponents' batting average of .161 (35 H/217 AB). In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP). This year, he's walked 3.8 BB/9 (45 BB/106 IP). Last year with Savannah, Whitenton was 8-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 18 starts and eight relief appearances. He fanned 113 batters and walked 68, the second-most in the SAL, in 108.1 innings. 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 13-7 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 3.40 runs per game, the second-lowest run support among Gnats starters.

Streakers: Wilfredo Tovar rides an eight-game hitting streak into tonight's action over which time he is 15-for-32 (.469) with five doubles, three walks and one strikeout... Blake Forsythe has hit safely in six straight games, matching a personal season-best. He's 10-for-24 (.417) in that span with two doubles, two homers, six RBI, three walks and eight strikeouts... Aderlin Rodriguez has hit safely in seven straight games going 10-for-30 (.333) with two doubles, three homers, and six RBI in that span.

Home Cooking: The Gnats, at 47-22 at home, have clinched the best home record in the SAL in 2011. Savannah is 39-15 at home against the Southern Division and 7-0 at home on Tuesdays.

Wire-to-Wire: The Gnats are attempting to win both halves in the Southern Division, something no team has done since in either division in the SAL since the Capital City Bombers accomplished the feat as a Mets affiliate in 2004.

Playoff Chase: The Gnats' loss yesterday combined with the Augusta GreenJackets' win, dropped Savannah into a tie with the GreenJackets for first place with six games to play. However, because the 'Jackets have played two fewer games than the Gnats, they have a winning percentage that is .003 better. The Greenville Drive and Asheville Tourists are both two games out of first. If the GreenJackets, Drive or Tourists win the second half, they will be the first half champion Gnats' first round playoff opponent. However, if the Gnats win the second half, they will play the team with the next best overall record. Greenville, which is five games in front of Augusta overall, and can clinch finishing with a better overall record with a win tonight in the final game of the teams' five-game series.

Strong Arms: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.25), WHIP (1.22) and fewest hits allowed (1028). The Gnats are fifth in strikeouts (1015) and have allowed the sixth fewest walks (409).

Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 8-6 against the RiverDogs this year, 5-2 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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South Atlantic League Stories from August 30, 2011


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