Gnats Game Notes
Published on June 3, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Tonight: The Gnats play game three of a four-game series against the Asheville Tourists after dropping the first two games by a combined score of 9-4. The Gnats are three games out of first place for the second straight day.
Last Night: Tourists' LF Avery Barnes' three-run triple in the top of the eighth inning off Savannah starter Brandon Moore in the top of the eighth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and gave Asheville their final 5-2 margin. Moore retired 16 batters in a row from the end of the first inning through two outs in the sixth, a string that was interrupted by Avery's first of two triples. 3B Jefry Marte, who has hit safely in eight straight games, had a hand in both Gnats runs, driving home Juan Lagares in the first inning and scoring in the fourth on a double on a Nick Santomauro RBI single.
Now Pitching: Jimmy Fuller will make his eleventh start as a Gnat. Fuller is eighth in the SAL with a 1.90 ERA and second in strikeouts (62), trailing only teammate Brandon Moore. The Gnats' 8-2 record when Fuller starts is their best of any starting pitcher. Savannah has supported him with 5.0 runs per game. Fuller's last start, in Rome on Saturday, was held to five innings by rain, making it just the third time in ten games in which he has not thrown six innings or more. Fuller spent all of 2009 with the Brooklyn Cyclones where he was a NYP League All-Star in a season in which he was 3-6 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 games, 11 of which were starts. Fuller struck out 67 batters and walked 15 for a sterling K/BB ratio of 4.67. Fuller was a DII All-American in 2008 at Southern Connecticut State University where he led DII in strikeouts with 145, averaging 13 whiffs per nine innings. He was 9-3 with a 1.39 ERA and put together a streak of 59 scoreless innings.
Vs. Asheville: The Gnats are 0-2 against the Tourists this year. The two teams are scheduled for 18 games this year, 14 of which will be played in the second half. The Gnats were 5-7 against the Tourists last year. The Gnats are 13-20 against the Tourists as a Mets affiliate.
Close Misses: Since reaching 12 games over .500 at 24-12 after beating Rome 3-0, on May 15, the Gnats are just 6-12 in their last 18 games despite being outscored by just nine runs. Savannah has scored 55 runs (3.05 per game) and given up 64 (3.56 runs/game). The Gnats have also gone from up three in the standings to down three in that span.
Marte Mashes: Jefry Marte has now hit safely in eight straight games, over which time he is hitting .406 (13 H/32 AB) with a double, a triple, a home run, five RBI, 3 BB, 3 K and seven R. After hitting .189/.302/.270 with three extra-base hits in 10 games in April, Marte hit .248/.331/.359 with seven extra-base hits in 28 games in May.
Four Still Magic: The Gnats are a perfect 12-0 at home when they score four runs or more. Savannah is 4-10 when they score three or fewer runs at Historic Grayson Stadium.
Top Arms: Savannah's pitching staff leads the SAL in ERA (2.55), WHIP (1.13) and strikeouts (502). The Gnats have yielded the fewest runs (182), despite throwing the most innings (511.1).
South Atlantic League Stories from June 3, 2010
- Hagerstown Overpower BlueClaws 7-2 - Hagerstown Suns
- Flores Delivers Game-Winning Double in 11th - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Legends Break Tie in Eighth, Beat Power 3-1 - Lexington Legends
- Grasshoppers Drop 'Birds on Single in 10th Inning, 9-8 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Crawdads Bitten by RiverDogs, 6-2 - Hickory Crawdads
- Errors Cost Intimidators in 5-3 Loss - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Polish Off Crawdads, 6-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws Downed at Hagerstown, 7-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Augusta Tops Braves - Rome Emperors
- Irving Solid in Starting Debut; Jackets Win 4-3 - Augusta GreenJackets
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- RiverDogs Honored By Charleston Metro Chamber Of Commerce - Charleston RiverDogs
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 3,333,333rd Fan Could Be You This Sunday - Hickory Crawdads
- BlueClaws To Raise Money For Injured Police Officer - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- RiverDogs to Host Youth Baseball Camps - Charleston RiverDogs
- Moreau Named Orioles Minor League Pitcher Of the Month - Delmarva Shorebirds
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