Gnats Game Notes
Published on May 20, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (24-16, 2nd, Southern) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (17-23, 5th, Southern)
Game #41 - Road Game #21 - Thursday - 7:05
LHP Darin Gorski (1-1, 3.34) vs. LHP Schaeffer Hall (2-2, 2.04)
Lake Olmstead Stadium - Augusta, GA
Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, sandgnats.com
Tonight: The Gnats begin a four-game series with the Charleston RiverDogs, SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Gnats will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak after getting swept by the Augusta GreenJackets to begin their eight-game road trip. The Gnats scored one run over the 45 innings of the Augusta series and now trail the GreenJackets by one game for first place in the SAL Southern Division.
Last Night: The Gnats fell 3-1 to Augusta. The Gnats scored their only run of the series in the top of the second inning when 1B Alex Gregory singled into right field to drive home LF Rafael Fernandez to give Savannah a 1-0. The 'Jackets scored twice in the fourth inning against Jimmy Fuller and added an insurance run in the seventh.
Now Pitching: Darin Gorski is scheduled to make his fourth start for the Gnats today. Gorski and RHP Taylor Whitenton have been sharing the last spot in the Savannah pitching rotation, "piggy-backing," alternating starting with relieving. Gorski lasted 3.1 innings in his last start, giving up four runs on six hits in the Gnats' 12-11 loss to Lakewood on May 9th that went 15 innings. 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 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. The Gnats are 1-2 when Gorski starts and have supported him with 7.7 runs per game.
Vs. Charleston: Tonight is the first of 13 scheduled meetings between the Gnats and the RiverDogs. Chareleston does not visit Savannah until August 25-28. Last year, the Gnats were just 8-15 against Charleston.
GreenJacketed: The Gnats have had trouble scoring runs against Augusta pitching this year. GreenJackets pitching shut out Savannah for the first 37 innings of their series and held Savannah to just one run in 45 innings over the four-game set. Savannah has been shut out five times this year, all by Augusta. The Gnats hit just .163 (25 H/153 AB) in their most recent four game series against Augusta with four doubles for a .190 slugging percentage.
New Spot: Savannah has dropped into second place in the SAL Southern Division for the first time since April 21.
Small Numbers: the Gnats are just 5-13 in games in which they score 3 runs or fewer. Remarkably, they are 6-7 on the road when their pitchers allow three runs or fewer, but 19-9 overall when their pitchers hold the opposition below four runs. The Gnats are 19-3 when scoring four or more runs.
Big Flo: Wilmer Flores leads the SAL in batting average (.352), and is fourth in on-base percentage (.407) and third in slugging (.562). Flores hit .264/.305/.332 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with three home runs in 125 games for Savannah last year as a 17 year-old.
Pitching In: Savannah leads the SAL with a 2.40 ERA and is the only team with an ERA below 3.15. Savannah is second in the league in strikeouts (362) and has allowed the second fewest home runs (14) to Charleston's 13.
Four Down: This is just the second time all year that the Sand Gnats have lost four games in a row. The Gnats dropped four straight to West Virginia and Augusta from April 11-14, a span in which the team scored four runs. Savannah has scored one run in its last four games.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 20, 2010
- Legends Drop Series Opener in Greensboro, 7-4 - Lexington Legends
- Early Runs Drop Shorebirds in Game 1 of Series, 10-6 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Gnats Snap Skid with 5-2 Win over RiverDogs - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Ramirez Pitches Gem, Crawdads Chop Braves, 3-2 - Hickory Crawdads
- Fuentes, Butler-Led Drive Swat GreenJackets, 11-4 - Greenville Drive
- Jackets Winning Streak Halted in 11-4 Setback - Augusta GreenJackets
- Intimidators Set Season Highs in 12-8 Win - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Sand Gnats Fly Past RiverDogs, 5-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws Edged by Power, 4-3 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Petersen Honored As Good Samaritan - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Rome Sends Two Pitchers To Myrtle Beach - Rome Emperors
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
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