Sand Gnats 7, West Virginia 2

Chris Schwinden (7-5) struck out 10 batters while the West Virginia Power made seven errors in the Sand Gnats, 7-2, win in front of 1,518 at the Appalachian Power Park Wednesday night. After not having a pitcher strike out 10 batters in just under three years, the Gnats have had starters accomplish the feat in back-to-back games.
The tone of the game was set from the first play of the game when Raul Reyes would reach on a fielding error by Power first baseman Calvin Anderson. West Virginia would make two more errors in the inning that eventually led to Savannah’s first run.
Wilmer Flores hit a foul ball that was in the glove of outfielder Starling Marte but it then rolled out allowing Flores a second crack at starter Brian Leach (3-1). Flores hit a sacrifice fly to score Jefry Marte to give Savannah the, 1-0, lead.
Kai Gronauer homered for the second consecutive game when he hit his two-run blast to left-center field in the second inning. At one point the Sand Gnats led, 7-0, before the Power scored their two runs in the eighth.

Schwinden’s 10 strikeouts set a season high but not a career high for the right hander from Visalia, Calif. He fanned 12 batters on Aug. 7, 2008 as a member of the Brooklyn Cyclones. Schwinden allowed just five hits in the game over six innings and has not walked a batter in his last three starts (21.0 IP).

Josh Satin was the only Sand Gnat to register a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, while Kai Gronauer finished 1-for-4 with three RBI. The bullpen’s scoreless innings streak came to an end at 24 innings when Tim Smith allowed a run with no one out in the eighth.

The Sand Gnats (15-11, 50-46) will look for their fifth win in a row tomorrow night when they take the field at 7:05 p.m. versus West Virginia. It will be RHP Eric Beaulac (6-5, 2.44) making the start for Savannah while RHP Gabriel Alvarado (5-7, 5.16) takes the game ball for the Power.