Gnats Game Notes: Wednesday, July 20 Vs West Virginia

Published on July 20, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release


Savannah Sand Gnats (15-10/54-40, 2nd, Southern) vs. West Virginia Power (9-16/44-49, 7th, Northern)

Game #95 - Home Game #37 - Wednesday - 7:05

RHP Gonzalez Germen (6-4, 3.83) vs. RHP Zack Von Rosenberg (3-7, 6.58)

Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats begin a three-game series and seven-game home stand against the West Virginia Power, SAL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Gnats finished their recent road trip at 2-5 after a three game sweep in Augusta.

Last Game: The Augusta GreenJackets scored three times in the fifth inning against reliever Guillaume Leduc on their way to a 5-3 win over the Gnats. Augusta outscored Savannah 20-10 in the two teams' three-game series.

Now Pitching: RHP Gonzalez Germen is scheduled to make his 18thappearance and his team-leading 17 th start tonight. Germen has been tough in July, when he has a 1.80 ERA (3 ER/15 IP) and 11 strikeouts against four walks (2.75 K/BB). Germen's 89.2 innings are 10 behind Ryan Fraser for the Gnats' team lead. Germen spent most of the 2010 season with Kingsport in the Appalachian League where he was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings over 10 starts with 54 strikeouts and 11 walks. He made two starts with Savannah to finish out the year. On August 27th, in his Savannah debut, in game two of a double-header against Charleston, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the seventh. The Gnats are 8-8 when Germen starts and have supported him with 4.56 runs per game (73 runs/16 starts), the third-best run support of any Savannah starter.

Catch AND Hit: C Albert Cordero is hitting .304/.360/.413 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 12 games in July with four extra-base hits, which are already his most of any month of the 2011 season, surpassing his three extra-base hits in April and June. His OPS by month: April (.559), May (.411), June (.688) and July (.773). ... C Blake Forsythe has a team-best .946 OPS in July as part of a .281/.477/.469 line with 11 walks drawn. He's earned 20% of the team's total walks in July (11 of 54).

Meet Michael: Michael Hebert ended his rehab assignment with the Mets Gulf Coast League team and was activated from the Sand Gnats' disabled list today. In four appearances on his rehab assignment, Hebert was 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA (5 ER/17 IP) with 15 strikeouts against two walks. Hebert made 11 starts in the Appalachian League in 2010, going 3-7 with a 4.47 ERA for the K-Mets with 53 strikeouts against 29 walks. In two appearances with the Gnats last year, Hebert gave up one run in 6.1 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Newly Second: Today, for the first time in the second half, the Gnats do not have at least a share of first place. The Gnats had been alone in first every day since beating Rome 5-2 on June 29.

Patience Index: West Virginia has drawn 336 walks, fourth in the league while the Gnats, who have earned 315 free passes, are fifth. As a Mets' affiliate, the Gnats have never finished higher than ninth in the SAL in walks, and were dead last in the then 16-team league in 2007 and 2008.

Strong Arms: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA at 3.23, 29 hundredths better than second-best Hickory. The Gnats also lead the League in WHIP at 1.23, just in front of second-place West Virginia at 1.25. The Power are precisely middle of the road in ERA 4.11, seventh of 14 teams, but have allowed the fewest walks of any team in the SAL, just 207.

Vs. West Virginia: The Gnats are 1-2 against the West Virginia Power in 2011. The two teams opened the 2011 season against each other in Charleston, WV, April 7-10.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2011


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