Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, July 6 Vs. Rome

Published on July 6, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (4-8/46-36, 7th, Southern) vs. Rome Braves (6-6/36-45, t-3rd, Southern)

Game #83 - Home Game #43 - Tuesday - 7:05

RHP Collin McHugh (3-6, 3.48) vs. RHP Caleb Brewer (2-1, 2.92)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, sandgnats.com

Tonight: The first half champion Gnats, who have split the first two games of the series with Rome, play game three of their four-game set against the Braves.

Last Night: Rome scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to take a 6-5 decision from Savannah. The win was Rome's first in Savannah this year. The game featured seven lead changes and ties. RF Cesar Puello was 3-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI.

Now Pitching: Collin McHugh will make his tenth start of the year. McHugh won his last decision against Greenville, his first win since April 21st, and his first win as a starter since April 16th. Against Rome this year, McHugh is 1-0 with an ERA of 2.57 in seven innings in one start and one relief appearance. The Gnats are 2-6 when McHugh starts and have supported him with 2.50 runs per game, the lowest of any Gnat pitcher with three or more starts. 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.

Vs. Rome: The Gnats are 13-4 against Rome this year, 8-1 at home and 5-3 in Rome. The Gnats have outscored Rome by a score of 87-41 this season. The two teams are scheduled for 23 games this season. The Gnats and Braves split the season series 11-11 last year. The Gnats are 42-47 against Rome as a Mets affiliate.

Wow Wilfredo: Wilfredo Tovar was 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. He's reached base safely in seven straight games and 11 of his 12 games as a Gnat, while being held hitless only three times. He's hitting .405/.476/.459 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with four walks and three strikeouts for Savannah.

Puello Power: Cesar Puello is hitting .333 (15-for-45) with four doubles, one walk and four strikeouts in 12 games since the All-Star Break.

First Time Four Fails: Last night was the first game that the Gnats have lost at home in which they scored four or more runs. Savannah is now 19-1 when scoring four runs or more at home and 37-8 over all.

The Wonderful World of OZ: After going 1-3 with a double and a run scored Sunday, 1B Travis Ozga has hit safely in six straight games and seven of his eight games as a Sand Gnat. In his last six games, Ozga is hitting .500 (9-for-18) with two doubles. Ozga played in one game for rookie-level Kingsport in the Appalachian League where he was 2-4 with a double and a home run on June 22.

Close Calls: Both games in this series have been decided by one run. The Gnats are 10-14 in one-run games, 8-5 at home and 2-9 on the road.

Simply the Best and the Busiest: The Gnats' pitching staff leads the SAL in ERA (2.61), strikeouts (700), WHIP (1.13) and innings pitched (760.2). The top two teams in the league in strikeouts (the Gnats and the Hickory Crawdads) hold the top two places in ERA. The Gnats have thrown nine shutouts this year, tied with Augusta for the second-most in the SAL, one behind league-leading Hickory (10).

Playoffs: By virtue of winning the first half, the Gnats will host game two of

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 6, 2010


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