Gnats' Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss Friday
Published on May 18, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah, GA - For the second night in a row, the Savannah Sand Gnats had the tying run on second base in the ninth inning, but for the second night in a row, could not get the hit to tie the game as the Augusta GreenJackets held on to beat the Gnats 4-3 at Historic Grayson Stadium Friday night in front of 2,345 fans. The Gnats were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position Friday.
Down 4-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth, the Gnats (24-16) rallied. RF Charley Thurber led off with a triple to right-centerfield and scored on DH Gregory Pron's RBI groundout to bring the Gnats within a run at 4-3. A single from 2B Brandon Brown and a walk from C Cam Maron put the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first with one out. However, GreenJackets' closer Cody Hall rebounded to strikeout SS TJ Rivera and LF Dustin Lawley to end the game. Hall is a perfect 10-for-10 in save opportunities this year.
For the second night in a row, the GreenJackets (19-20) never trailed. Augusta took a 2-0 lead against Savannah starter Tyler Pill in the second inning on three singles, an error, a sacrifice, and an RBI groundout. Augusta added a run in the sixth for a 3-0 lead on a single, a stolen base, and an RBI single. Pill allowed three runs, all earned in his six innings of work with no walks and five strikeouts. All eight hits against him were singles.
The Gnats made it a one-run game with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, CF Travis Taijeron walked, and came home on 1B Brian Harrison's double to left-center field. In the eighth, 3B Aderlin Rodriguez, who was 2-for-4, crushed a solo home run to left field to make the score 3-2. Rodriguez has hit safely in six straight games.
Augusta added an insurance run in the top of the ninth that scored on a throwing error on the second baseman Brown, to establish a 4-2 lead.
The Gnats look to snap a three-game losing streak Saturday at 6:05 by handing the ball to RHP Michael Fulmer (2-2, 3.25) who will take on GreenJackets' RHP Kyle Crick (1-2, 2.03). Gates open at 5 pm. The radio broadcast, presented by Subway, begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 5:45 pm.
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