Gnats Swept Monday; Will Face Augusta in Playoffs
Published on September 5, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
SAVANNAH, GA - The Gnats and their South Atlantic League rivals waited until the final day of the regular season to determine Savannah's opponent in the first round of the South Atlantic League Playoffs: the Augusta GreenJackets. On Labor Day in Lexington, KY, the Lexington Legends swept a doubleheader from the Gnats after a 3:29 rain delay. Meanwhile, the Augusta GreenJackets edged the Rome Braves 4-3 to sneak past the Gnats to win the second half championship, earning a first-round date with the Gnats. By winning percentage, the GreenJackets (39-29/70-68) finished three-thousandths of a percentage point, .574 to .571, ahead of the Gnats (40-30/79-60) for first place in the Southern Division in the second half.
The Greenville Drive, who finished two games behind the GreenJackets in the half, and just 1.5 games behind the Gnats for the best overall record in the Southern Division, were eliminated Monday.
Monday, Savannah starter Taylor Whitenton pitched one inning, and gave up one unearned run in the bottom of the first inning of game two, but did enough to pick up the SAL ERA title at 2.49, finishing six hundredths of a run ahead of Augusta's Shawn Sanford (2.55). Whitenton's 119 strikeouts were eighth in the SAL.
Monday, the Gnats lost two one-run games: 2-1 in game one and 3-2 in game two.
In game one, the Gnats took a 1-0 lead. In the top of the first, SS Wilfredo Tovar walked, RF Rafael Fernandez singled and C Albert Cordero singled home Tovar. The Legends tied the game in the second inning and took a 2-1 lead in the third on CF Emilio King's single to right field. Savannah starter Michael Hebert held the Legends to just two runs on seven hits in six innings with four strikeouts and zero walks, but took a tough-luck loss to fall to 3-2 with a 3.44 ERA.
Game two was a different story, as the Legends built a 3-0 lead before the Gnats rallied to within a run with a two-run sixth inning. The Legends scored a run in the first against Whitenton, a run in the second against Adam Kolarek, and then a run in the third against Brandon Sage. In the sixth inning, Fernandez singled and CF Dustin Lawley doubled to second and third. Fernandez scored on a groundout and 3B Aderlin Rodriguez singled home Lawley to pull the Gnats within a run. The Gnats advanced Luis Nieves to third with the tying run with two outs in the ninth, but stranded him there.
THE 2011 PLAYOFFS The first half champion Gnats begin their quest for the first SAL title since 1996 when the playoffs begin Wednesday, September 7 in Augusta. The Southern Division Championship Series shifts to Savannah for game two on Friday, September 9, and, if necessary, game three on Saturday, September 10. Playoff tickets are currently available by calling the Sand Gnats' front office at (912) 351-9150 or by going online to www.sandgnats.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 5, 2011
- Gnats Swept Monday; Will Face Augusta in Playoffs - Savannah Sand Gnats
- 'Dogs Ride Brown and Gerritse to Shutout Win in Season Finale - Charleston RiverDogs
- Legends Take Two from Savannah on Final Day - Lexington Legends
- GreenJackets Win Second-Half Division Crown - Augusta GreenJackets
- Grasshoppers Are Playoff Bound - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Shorebirds Fall 5-4 in 11-Innings in Season Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Drive Top 'Dads in Labor Day Matinee - Hickory Crawdads
- Lakewood Falls 9-1 in Season Finale - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Intimidators Fall One Win Shy of Playoffs - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Rogers Strong for GreenJackets in Finale Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Drive Cruise to 11-4 Victory in Regular Season Finale - Greenville Drive
- Gnats Game Notes: Monday, September 5 at Lexington - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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