Gnats Game Notes
July 9, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (6-9/48-37, t-6th, Southern) vs. Asheville Tourists (9-6/38-46, 2nd, Southern)
Game #86 - Road Game #42 - Friday - 7:05
RHP John Church (4-0, 1.14) vs. LHP Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.41)
McCormick Field, Asheville, NC
Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, sandgnats.com
Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats, who have won two in a row for the first time in the second half, look to make it three in a row in game two of a five-game set in Asheville.
Last Night: The Sand Gnats beat up on Asheville 11-6. Five different Gnats had two hits. Savannah scored four times in the top of the fifth inning to eliminate a 3-2 deficit and never trailed again. LF RJ Harris was 2-3 with his second Savannah home run, two walks, two RBI and three runs scored. 1B Travis Ozga was 2-5 with 5 RBI, tying a Gnats' season-high.
Now Pitching: John Church is scheduled to make his third start of the year for the Sand Gnats. Church has yet to allow a run in his 11 innings as a starter. As a starter, Church has struck out five, walked two and given up just five hits. Church leads all Gnats pitchers who have made more than four appearances with his 1.14 ERA. If he had enough innings to qualify, he would lead the SAL in ERA. Church made 22 relief appearances before his first start in 2010 and made 21 relief appearances with Savannah last year and one with Brooklyn in the New York-Penn League. With Savannah last year, Church was 1-4 with a 5.28 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 29 innings. The Mets drafted Church in the 23rd round of the 2009 amateur draft out of the University of West Florida.
Vs. Asheville: The Gnats are 4-6 against the Tourists this year, 3-6 at home and 1-0 in Asheville. 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 17-24 against the Tourists as a Mets affiliate.
Tremendous Travis: Last night, Travis Ozga became the second Gnat with five RBI in a game this year, joining SS Wilmer Flores, who accomplished the feat on April 20, in Savannah's 11-3 win in Rome. Ozga has hit .371/.425/.514 in his 12 games with Savannah.
Defense Wins Championships: The Gnats turned a season-high four double plays last night, including one to end the game. The team also had two outfield assists, one from CF Pedro Zapata on a double play in the third and one from RF Cesar Puello cutting down a runner at third to end the second inning. It was Puello's sixth OF assist and Zapata's fourth. The Gnats are tied for second in the league in fielding percentage at .971, one one-thousandth of a point behind Augusta (.972).
Bopping on the Road: The Gnats scored 11 runs last night, improving to 8-1 when they score 10 or more. The Gnats have scored 10 runs or more seven times on the road and twice at home.
Puello Power: Cesar Puello is hitting .309 (17-for-55) with four doubles, five walks and five strikeouts in 14 games since the All-Star Break. He was 0-2 last night, but reached base three times thanks to two walks and a HBP and scored three runs.
Harris Heating Up: Alonzo Harris has hit safely in four straight games over which time he is hitting.385(5-for-13) with a double and three RBI. It's the fourth time this year that he has hit safely in at least four straight games. His best hitting streak of the year was a six-game run from April 19-24. He's drawn four walks in his last five games after drawing 10 in his first 71.
Playoffs: By virtue of winning the first half, the Gnats will host game two of the SAL Southern Division Championship series on Friday, September 10 and game three, if necessary, on Saturday, September 11.
Break's Over: There are four Gnats hitting under .200 in the 15 games since the All-Star Break: Dock Doyle (.179; 5-for-28), Alex Gregory (.150; 3-for-20), RJ Harris (.181; 10-for-55), Jefry Marte (.155; 9-58). With his 1-for-3 last night, Nick Santomauro (.200; 9-45) is hitting exactly .200 since the break.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 9, 2010
- Lexington wins over West Virginia - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Legends hold on for 4-3 win over West Virginia - Lexington Legends
- GreenJackets Fall in Wild 11-10 Contest - Augusta GreenJackets
- Batts scores go-ahead run on wild pitch, Claws win 4-3 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Intimidators Win Wild Game 11-10 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Another Come from Behind Win for Rome - Rome Emperors
- âBirds Squander Lead In Eighth And Fall, 4-3 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Rome Squeaks By RiverDogs, 6-5 - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Dads rained out on Friday, doubleheader on Saturday - Hickory Crawdads
- King James to Appear on Backstabbers Night - Augusta GreenJackets
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Beat the Heat with Five More 'RiverDog Days of Summer - Charleston RiverDogs
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- BlueClaws Ryan Howard Jersey Retirement Ceremony Postponed - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- All-Stars LHP Ross & RHP Hurley Promoted - Hickory Crawdads
- Limited Tickets Available for July 24th Game - Hagerstown Suns
- Suns iPhone App Now Available On iTunes - Hagerstown Suns
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