Gnats Win Regular Season Finale 2-1
Published on September 6, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
SAVANNAH, GA - The Savannah Sand Gnats finished their best regular season in 16 years with a 2-1 victory on Labor Day Monday over the Asheville Tourists. The first half champion Gnats won nine of their final 11 games to finish the regular season at 75-64.
The last time a Savannah team won as many as 75 games in a season was 1994, when Savannah finished 82-55 and won the SAL Championship. Savannah won the SAL championship in 1996 after going 72-69 in the regular season. Savannah will go to the playoffs in 2010 for the first time since 1996.
The Gnats (33-36/75-64) scored the game's first run Monday in the second inning. With one out, 2B Jet Butler singled, stole second and came home on C Albert Cordero's RBI single into center field. Cordero, recently promoted from rookie-level Kingsport, was 2-3 in his Savannah debut. Savannah made it 2-0 in the third when SS Luis Nieves, who has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, bunted his way aboard, and scored on a passed ball.
Savannah starter Collin McHugh (7-8, 3.33) tossed five shutout innings in his final tune-up before the playoffs. McHugh, who was perfect through four innings, struck out five and gave up just one hit, a double leading off the fifth inning. McHugh has not allowed a run in his last 14 innings of work.
The Tourists scored their only run of the game on a solo home run by C Anthony Aguilera, his first of the year against reliever Michael Hebert, who was making his second appearance for Savannah, in the eighth inning. Luis Rojas nailed down the final two outs in the ninth for his first Savannah save.
The Gnats open the Southern Division Championship series in Greenville on Wednesday night at 7 pm.
For tickets and more information, please call (912) 351-9150 or visit sandgnats.com.
Playoffs Presented by Tate Law Group
Savannah will open the 2010 playoffs in Greenville on Wednesday, September 8. After an off-day, Historic Grayson Stadium will host its first playoff game in 14 years on Friday, September 10, with a vuvuzela horn giveaway presented by the Tate Law Group. Game three, if necessary, will be Saturday, September 11.
If Savannah advances to the SAL Championship series, the Gnats will host games one and two of the best-of-five SAL Championship series at home on September 13 and 14. The Northern Division Champion will host game three, and if necessary, games four and five, September 16-18.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 6, 2010
- Legends Win Season Finale Over Rome, 6-5 - Lexington Legends
- 10th Inning Rally Thrills Lowcountry, Dogs Win Season Finale, 2-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Dads Top Drive, 5-3, in Regular Season Finale - Hickory Crawdads
- Drive End Regular Season with 5-3 Loss - Greenville Drive
- Delmarva Falls in Season Finale, 7-2 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Power Way to Win in Finale - Augusta GreenJackets
- Power Close Season on High Note - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Perdomo, BlueClaws End Intimidators Season with a Loss - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Gnats Win Regular Season Finale 2-1 - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Claws Tie Franchise Wins Mark, Beat Kannapolis 3-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Grote Transferred to Trenton - Charleston RiverDogs
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Gnats Game Notes: Monday, September 6 Vs. Asheville - Savannah Sand Gnats
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