Savannah Sand Gnats Game Notes
Published on July 3, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Savannah Sand Gnats News Release
Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats, winners of eight games in a row, look to finish a three-game sweep of the Augusta GreenJackets and complete a perfect 7-0 road trip to Rome and Augusta. The Gnats return home tomorrow for an Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular on Monday, July 4.
Last Night: The Gnats scored five runs in the third inning to blow out the GreenJackets 8-0. DH Blake Forsythe, who was 2-4 with a walk and two RBI, ripped a two-run triple in the big third. 3B Aderlin Rodriguez was 3-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Now Pitching: LHP Angel Cuan is scheduled to make his third start of 2011 tonight. Last Tuesday, on three-days' rest, Cuan held Rome to three runs, two earned in six innings, his longest outing of 2011. Before Tuesday, his longest outing was a four-inning performance in his second appearance of 2011 on April 16. In 53.1 innings this season, Cuan has struck out 42 batters and walked just eight for a K/BB of 5.25. His walk rate as a reliever of 1.22 BB-IBB/9 IP was the fourth-best among relievers in the SAL. Last year, Cuan was second only to teammate Yohan Almonte in the New-York Penn League in ERA with a 2.03 mark. He was fifth in the NYP in strikeouts (64) and fourth in innings pitched (79.2) and fewest baserunners/9 IP (9.94). Cuan went five innings or more in 13 of his 14 starts in Brooklyn in 2010. Cuan pitched for his native Panama in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The Gnats are 2-0 when Cuan starts and have supported him with 3.50 runs per game (7 runs/2 games).
Eight Up: The Gnats have tied a season high with their second eight-game winning streak in 2011. The Gnats have outscored Augusta and Rome, their only opponents on the streak, by a combined score of 46-20, or 5.75 runs to 2.5 runs per game. The Gnats have scored five runs or more in five of the eight games on their winning streak. The Gnats won eight games in a row from June 7-15, a streak that was more low-scoring as Savannah outscored their opponents, Asheville, Augusta and Rome by a combined score of 37-to-14 (4.63 r/g to 1.75 r/g). The eight-game winning streak ties Savannah's high as a Mets affiliate, a relationship that began with the 2007 season.
Bully for Bonfe: After going 1-for-4 last night, Joe Bonfe has hit safely in his last eight games, going 11-for-27 (.407) in that time. Bonfe, who played in just 22 games before the All-Star Break, has played in the last nine straight contests for the Gnats and nine of 10 in the second half, hitting .367/.441/.433 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in the half.
Top Gnats: The Gnats' 48-31 overall record is the best among all SAL teams. The Gnats own the seventh best winning percentage (.608) among all full-season minor league baseball teams. San Antonio (AA-Padres) has the best record among the 120 full-season affiliates at .696 (55-24). The Gnats are 17 games over .500 for the first time. Savannah leads the Asheville Tourists and Greenville Drive by two games in the second half Southern Division standings.
Saturday Night Highs: The Gnats tied season highs with five runs in an inning and four doubles in a game ... the eight runs the Gnats scored against Augusta starter Mike Kickham were their most against any pitcher in a game in 2011.
Strong Arms: The Gnats have the SAL's best ERA (3.16), nearly half a run (47 hundredths) better than second-place Lakewood. The Gnats have allowed the fewest hits (611), 201 hits fewer than Asheville, who have given up 812 hits, the most in the SAL.
Vs. Augusta: The Gnats are 11-2 against Augusta this year, 6-1 at home and 5-1 on the road. The Gnats and GreenJackets are in a stretch where they play each other on four out of six weekends.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 3, 2011
- Suns Knock off Legends in Game Three Finale, 8-2 - Hagerstown Suns
- 'Dads Derail Drive with 7-4 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Drive End Homestand with 7-4 Loss to Crawdads - Greenville Drive
- Suns Take Series Finale Over Legends 8-2 - Lexington Legends
- Offense Sputters Again as Savannah Sweeps - Augusta GreenJackets
- Lakewood Wins 10-5 Over Delmarva - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- BlueClaws Top Shorebirds 10-5 in Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Greensboro Wallops Power 10-2 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hot Afternoon Chills Braves' Bats - Rome Emperors
- RiverDogs Put Rome to Rest with 4-2 Series-Clinching Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Savannah Sand Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Legends rally, then hold off Hagerstown for 11-10 win - Lexington Legends
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