Jackets Down Gnats in Wild 9-8 Game Thursday
June 21, 2012 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Savannah, GA - In a game that featured four four-run innings and 28 combined hits, the Augusta GreenJackets survived two Savannah Sand Gnats' rallies to defeat the Gnats 9-8 Thursday night in front of 3,365 fans, the largest crowd at Historic Grayson Stadium in 2012. Three times, in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings, after trailing by five runs the Gnats (0-1/41-27) had the tying run on base, but could not find the hits to even the score.
The GreenJackets (1-0/34-37) took the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth against Savannah starter Logan Verrett. Only one of the runs was earned. Verrett retired the first seven batters he faced Thursday, and struck out six in the first three innings. He finished five innings.
Augusta added a run against reliever Randy Fontanez in the sixth for a 5-0 advantage.
The Gnats rallied for their first four-run inning in the bottom of the sixth off Augusta starter Clayton Blackburn, who was perfect through the first four innings. Savannah used doubles from CF Gilbert Gomez, DH Cam Maron, 3B Aderlin Rodriguez, and RF Charley Thurber in the frame to pull within a run at 5-4.
Maron, who was 1-for-5, extended his hitting streak to 14 straight games, the longest by a Gnat in 2012.
Augusta scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning off reliever Jeremy Gould, making his first Savannah appearance, and Jared West to establish a 9-5 advantage. Only two of the four runs in the frame were earned.
Savannah rallied again in the bottom of the ninth. The first four batters all singled to produce two runs and two runners on base, to slice the GreenJackets' advantage to 9-6 and bring the tying run to the plate. After two outs, Rodriguez ripped a single into left field to plate two runs and bring Savannah within a run at 9-8. However, pinch-runner Gregory Pron was stranded at first when Harrison flew out to end the game.
In the seventh inning, with two outs and the Gnats down 5-4 and the potential tying run at third, the game introduced some controversy. Maron thought he was hit by a pitch, but home plate umpire Shawn Ryan ruled that the pitch missed Maron. Gnats' manager Luis Rojas was ejected arguing the play.
The Gnats committed two errors in each of the GreenJackets' four-run innings.
Savannah will send RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.88) to the mound Friday against RHP Chris Marlowe (1-3, 3.06). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm and gates to Historic Grayson Stadium open at 6 pm. The radio broadcast, presented by Subway begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 6:45 pm.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 21, 2012
- Intimidators Sneak Past Shorebirds 6-5 in 11 Innings - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Drive Notch 12-6 Come-From-Behind Win - Greenville Drive
- Jackets Down Gnats in Wild 9-8 Game Thursday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- 'Dads take down 'Hoppers, 6-3, to open 2nd Half - Hickory Crawdads
- Late Greenville Rally Buries RiverDogs - Charleston RiverDogs
- West Virginia Overcomes Early Deficit, Beats Legends 9-4 - Lexington Legends
- Pangilinan's GW Single Beats 'Birds in 11th - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Power bests Lexington Legends 9-4 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- GreenJackets pick up 9-8 win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Braves Use Hot Start to Cool Tourists; 7-3 - Asheville Tourists
- Suns Squeezed by Blue Claws 5-3 - Hagerstown Suns
- BlueClaws Begin 2nd Half with Bang, Win 5-3 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Former GreenJackets to Play in Futures Game - Augusta GreenJackets
- Suns' Meyer to Represent U.S. in MLB Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game - Hagerstown Suns
- Former Shorebirds to Play in Futures Game - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Savannah Makes Roster Moves - Savannah Sand Gnats
- LHP Walters Promoted to Winston-Salem - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds Game Notes: at Kannapolis - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Taillon Selected for All-Star Futures Game - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Melissa Azevedo Named Finalist for Local Influential Women in Business Award - Charleston RiverDogs
- Rockies Promote Cleary Jr., Send Laruent to Asheville - Asheville Tourists
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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