Gnats Game Notes
Published on July 10, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah Sand Gnats (7-9/49-37, 6th, Southern) vs. Asheville Tourists (9-7/38-47, t-2nd, Southern)
Game #87 - Road Game #43 - Saturday - 7:05
RHP Armando Rodriguez (5-5, 3.00) vs. RHP Juan Gonzalez (3-4, 3.94)
McCormick Field, Asheville, NC
Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, sandgnats.com
Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats, who have won three in a row for the first time in the second half, look to make it four in a row, in game three of a five-game set in Asheville.
Last Night: Travis Ozga's bat and John Church's arm carried the Gnats past Asheville 6-2. In his third professional start, Church took a shutout into the sixth inning, before allowing an unearned run, his first run of any kind as a starter in 16 innings. It also halted his overall scoreless innings streak at 21.2. Ozga's two-run home run in the seventh inning off Rockies top prospect LHP Tyler Matzek broke a 1-1 tie. The Gnats tacked on three runs in the ninth in a rally that Ozga began with a single.
Now Pitching: Armando Rodriguez is scheduled to make his team-leading 18th start for Savannah. Since May 1, Rodriguez is 4-2 with a 2.54 ERA (18 ER/63.2 IP) and has allowed opponents to hit just .199 (46 H/231 AB). For the year, Rodriguez's opponents' batting average of .210 is the third-best in the SAL. Rodriguez gave up four runs in six innings his last start versus Rome in a game the Gnats lost 6-5. It was the first time in nine starts that Rodriguez had given up three runs or more. The Gnats are 9-8 when Rodriguez throws and have supported him with 4.76 runs per game, fourth-most among the eight pitchers who have started for Savannah in 2010. With Kingsport a year ago, he was 3-1 with a 2.96 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 20 walks in 45.2 innings. Promoted to Savannah on August 27th, he finished the year with a dominant three-start performance in which he allowed just five hits in 16.2 innings and struck out 24. The Mets signed Rodriguez as a non-drafted free agent June 6, 2007.
Tremendous Travis: Last night, Travis Ozga drilled his second home run as a Gnat. In the two games in Asheville, Ozga is 4-9 with a home run and 7 RBI. He is hitting .385/.432/.590 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 13 games with Savannah.
Harris Heating Up: Alonzo Harris has hit safely in five straight games over which time he is hitting .412 (7-for-17) with a double and four RBI. It's his second-longest hitting streak of the year, beyond his six-game run from April 19-24. He's drawn five walks in his last six games after drawing 10 in his first 71.
Marte's Moves: Jefry Marte has hit safely in his last five games, going 8-for-20 (.400) in that time with four doubles, two walks, one strikeout and five RBI, one in each game.
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.
Big Bats: The Gnats have scored 17 runs in the first two games in the series in Asheville and 34 in their last five, an average of 6.8 runs per game. Savannah averaged 2.55 runs per game (28 R/11 G) in the first 11 games of the second half, a span in which the team was 4-7.
Vs. Asheville: The Gnats are 5-6 against the Tourists this year, 3-6 at home and 2-0 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 18-24 against the Tourists as a Mets affiliate.
Break's Over: There are four Gnats hitting under .200 in the 16 games since the All-Star Break: Dock Doyle (.179; 5-for-28), Alex Gregory (.167; 4-for-24), RJ Harris (.183; 11-for-60), Jefry Marte (.177; 11-62). Gregory, Harris and Marte all had hits last night to move closer to escaping the sub-.200 club.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 10, 2010
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- James Walks Off Third Game of the Season, Claws Win 3-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Rally Past Suns, 8-6 - Greenville Drive
- RiverDogs Pitching Stymies Braves - Rome Emperors
- West Virginia Breaks Tie in Eighth, Gets by Legends, 6-5 - Lexington Legends
- Defense, Pitching Stifle Intimidators in 3-2 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Four-Run Eighth Inning Drives Greenville Past Suns - Hagerstown Suns
- Charleston Finishes Rome, 3-1, Breaks 10-Game Skid At Rome - Charleston RiverDogs
- Intimidators Denied Consecutive Wins, Lose 3-2 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Monday Radio Advisory - Augusta GreenJackets
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- 2010 Charity Challenge Raises Nearly $3500 - Rome Emperors
- Suns Lose Late in Greenville - Hagerstown Suns
- McGuiness's Blast Propels Drive Past Suns, 4-3 - Greenville Drive
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