5/5/10

Gnats Game Notes: Wednesday, May 5th @ Delmarva - 7:05 pm

From Press Release:

Game #27 - Road Game #11 - Wednesday – 7:05

Savannah Sand Gnats (17-9, 1st, Southern) vs. Delmarva Shorebirds (14-11, 3rd, Northern)

LHP Jimmy Fuller (3-1, 1.87) vs. RHP Ryan Berry (0-1, 2.76)

Arthur W. Perdue Stadium - Salisbury, MD

Radio: News/Talk 630 and http://www.sandgnats.com/

Tonight: After splitting the first two games of the series, the first-place Gnats play game three of a four-game series and an eight game road trip tonight in Delmarva.

Yesterday: The Sand Gnats blew out Delmarva 12-4. The Sand Gnats scored five runs in the first inning and three more in the second to establish an early 8-0 lead. Juan Lagares launched a two run home run in the first and Jefry Marte followed with a two-run blast of his own in the second. Armando Rodriguez gave up one hit and three unearned runs over five innings for his second win.

Now Pitching: Jimmy Fuller will make his sixth start as a Gnat. In his last start, Fuller gave up a season-high three runs in five innings, his shortest of his five starts in 2010. He is currently eighth in the SAL with a 1.87 ERA, tied for fifth in innings pitched (33.2) and tenth in WHIP (0.98). Fuller spent all of 2009 with the Brooklyn Cyclones where he was a NYP League All-Star in a season in which he was 3-6 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 games, 11 of which were starts. Fuller struck out 67 batters and walked fifteen for a sterling K/BB ratio of 4.67. Fuller was a DII All-American in 2008 at Southern Connecticut State University where he led DII in strikeouts with 145, averaging 13 whiffs per nine innings. He was 9-3 with a 1.39 ERA and put together a streak of 59 scoreless innings.

Savannah is 4-1 when Fuller starts and has supported him with 3.8 runs per game (19 R/5 starts), the second lowest run support among Gnats starters.

First Things First: The Gnats have had at least a share of first place since beating Augusta on April 21. The Gnats, who have the best record in the SAL, lead the Greenville Drive and the Augusta GreenJackets by two games each after Augusta swept two games from Greenville yesterday. The two game lead is the Gnats’ largest this year.

Hot: Jefry Marte has hit safely in his last eight games over which time he is 11-30 (.360) with two doubles, a home run and 5 RBI…. Alex Gregory has hit safely in seven straight games. In those seven games, he is hitting .444 (12-for-27) with one double, four runs scored and an RBI.

Not: Pedro Zapata is four for his last 28 (.143)… After an 0-5 Monday, Jeff Flagg is now 0-for-his last 19 since a solo home run in the eighth inning of the Gnats’ 11-2 loss to Hickory on April 26. ... Sam Honeck is now 1-for-17 (.059) with Savannah after arriving from extended spring training. … Alonzo Harris is hitting .161 (5-for-31) in his last nine games.

Lagaras Launches: Juan Lagares set a new career high with his fourth home run of the season in his 26th game on Tuesday. Twice in his career, he hit three home runs: in 2006 in the DSL and in 2008 when he hit two in 46 games for Savannah and one in 19 games in Brooklyn. Lagares did not homer in 47 games with Savannah last year. Lagares is the only Gnat who has played in every game in 2010. He leads the SAL in triples (5) and is second in total bases (59).

Four for Sure: Savannah is 16-1 when scoring four or more runs and 1-8 when scoring three runs or fewer. When Gnats pitching allows fewer than four runs, the team is 13-4.

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