One night after the Savannah Sand Gnats beat the Delmarva Shorebirds (15-12) in 12 innings, Delmarva nipped the Gnats by scoring in the bottom of the 11th inning for a 5-4 win Thursday night in Salisbury, MD. The Savannah Sand Gnats (18-10) had not played an extra inning game until their trip to Delmarva, but three of the four games of the series went to extra innings, with the Shorebirds winning twice. Savannah still holds the best record in the South Atlantic League and remains two games ahead of both Greenville and Augusta for first place in the SAL Southern Division.
Shorebirds’ 1B Tyler Kolodny began the 11th inning by reaching on an error on Gnats’ third baseman Jefry Marte on a bouncing ball. Kolodny advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch by Gnats reliever Michael Powers. Powers induced a ground out from Delmarva cater Michael Ohlman and was one out away from sending the game to the 12th inning, but the Shorebirds’ number nine hitter, shortstop Garabez Rosa dropped a sinking line drive to right in front of Gnats right fielder Cesar Puello to drive home Kolodny from third with the winning run.
Savannah grabbed an early lead with a three run fourth inning. After a Juan Lagares double, SS Wilmer Flores drove his fourth home run of the year over the left field wall to give the Gnats a 2-0 lead. Marte scored the third Gnats run of the inning on a throwing error after reaching on a walk.
Delmarva took a 4-3 lead with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning. Kolodny’s two-run double gave the ‘Birds their first lead of the game and chased Gnats’ starter Collin McHugh.
The Gnats evened the game in the top of the eighth. Flores doubled to right to begin the inning. He advanced to third on a Marte single and scored on a Dock Doyle ground out to even the game at 4-4.
Savannah relievers Eric Turgeon, Brandon Sage and Michael Powers worked around base runners in the eigth, ninth and tenth innings, but could not escape the 11th.
The Gnats travel to Lakewood to being a four-game series Friday at 7:05 pm with RHP Brandon Moore scheduled for Savannah. The radio broadcast will begin on News/Talk 630 and www.sandgnats.com at 7 pm.
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