Gnats Pull Away Late as GreenJackets Fall 8-3
Published on August 2, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Savannah, GA -The Augusta GreenJackets couldn't finish the job in multiple innings on Tuesday night against the Savannah Sand Gnats, allowing all eight Savannah runs with two outs in each respective inning during an 8-3 loss to the Sand Gnats.
The backbreaker came in the eighth inning when the GreenJackets were trying to keep the deficit to two runs heading into the ninth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rafael Fernandez's bases-clearing double made it a 7-2 ballgame. Blake Forsythe followed with an RBI single to push the lead to six. Joel Weeks singled home a run for Augusta in the ninth but Hamilton Bennett held on to finish his two-inning stint, retiring six of the eight hitters he faced to earn his tenth save of the year.
Savannah got the first lead of the game in the second inning on an error to give the Sand Gnats a 1-0 lead. Darrell Ceciliani followed with an RBI single to double Savannah's advantage. The GreenJackets answered in the third, tying the game with a pair of their own. Rafael Rodriguez walked to open the frame and scored on Devin Harris's first triple of the year to cut Savannah's lead in half. Carlos Willoughby's sacrifice fly brought home Harris to tie the game at two.
The lead didn't last long for Augusta as Albert Cordero played star for the Sand Gnats in the third. His two-out home run off Augusta starter Gaspar Santiago gave the Gnats a 3-2 lead. Cordero struck again for Savannah in the fifth, doubling home an insurance run to extend the lead to two runs. Santiago walked the bases full before giving way to Mario Rodriguez, who stranded them full with an inning-ending strikeout.
Santiago (3-6) took his third straight loss, allowing four runs - two earned - on five hits and four walks while striking out two. It's also the third straight start where Santiago has allowed at least one run in his final inning of work.
Yohan Almonte (5-6) picked up the win for Savannah with his six-inning effort. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six.
With the series even at a game apiece, the GreenJackets send All-Star Shawn Sanford (8-6, 2.36) to the mound to face Ryan Fraser (6-7, 3.59) on Wednesday night in a battle of right-handers. First pitch from Savannah comes at 7:05 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 6:50, airing on WRDW-AM 1630 and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com .
Single-game tickets for any GreenJackets home game are currently available by calling the GreenJackets front office at 706-922-WINS while further information can be found online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com .
South Atlantic League Stories from August 2, 2011
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