Jackets Fall Short as Gnats Clinch Crown
June 20, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - With a 9-5 win over the Augusta GreenJackets in Sunday's first half finale, the Savannah Sand Gnats clinched their first division title since 1996 and will participate in the South Atlantic League's postseason in September.
Savannah led early and never trailed as Augusta could only pull as close as one run, which they did twice. After the Sand Gnats got a couple tallies in the second off Jeremy Toole, Evan Crawford's third home run of the year put the GreenJackets on the board with a 2-1 deficit after three innings.
The wheels came off for the first time in the fourth for Augusta, as the Sand Gnats batted around and scored four times to take a five-run lead. Wilmer Flores drove home a run on a controversial double in the inning that resulted in the ejection of GreenJackets manager Dave Machemer over an argument of whether or not the ball was fair or foul as it went down the line in left.
Augusta made a game of things in the fifth, pulling to within one for the second time with a four-run frame. Ydwin Villegas reached on a throwing error to put a run on the board. With two on and one out, Nick Liles reached first on a swinging bunt and a run scored when Savannah pitcher Jimmy Fuller threw the ball down the right field line in an attempt to retire Liles.
Luke Anders grounded out to bring another home in the inning and Chris Dominguez singled to make it a one-run game. Dominguez was thrown out at second though trying to stretch the hit into a double and the threat ended in a heartbeat. It was as close as the Jackets would get as Savannah added insurance runs in the seventh and ninth while the Jackets were limited to three hits the rest of the way.
Toole (2-3) never found rhythm and takes the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in 1.2 innings, his shortest start of the year. Fuller (6-2) survived five somewhat shaky innings and got the win, allowing five runs - one earned on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Lance Hoge threw three scoreless innings of two-hit baseball out of the Savannah âpen to stem the rising Augusta momentum.
After the three-day All-Star Break, the GreenJackets open the second half in Kannapolis on Thursday night in game one of a five-game series. First pitch will come at 7:05 p.m. with the pregame action beginning at 6:50 p.m. on WRDW AM 1630, www.greenjacketsbaseball.com and www.wrdwam.com.
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South Atlantic League Stories from June 20, 2010
- Crawdads Drop Series Finale to Drive - Hickory Crawdads
- Gnats Win First Half Championship - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Jackets Fall Short as Gnats Clinch Crown - Augusta GreenJackets
- First Half Ends with 6-3 Loss to Lexington - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suns Finish First Half with a Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Legends Take Final Game of Series over Delmarva, 6-3 - Lexington Legends
- Braves Sweep RiverDogs - Rome Emperors
- BlueClaws Stand Up to Intimidators, 6-3, Make Playoffs - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Rome Sweeps Charleston Again, 1-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Intimidators to Campaign for Clean Air on June 25th - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Delmarva takes third straight over Legends, 7-1 - Lexington Legends
- Suns Hold on for Win over Power - Hagerstown Suns
- Power Drop 7-4 Decision to Suns - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Dads beat Drive, 9-5, Gain Ground in Division Race - Hickory Crawdads
- Braves Offense Comes Alive - Rome Emperors
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