Savannah 5, Charleston 2

From Press Release:

The Savannah Sand Gnats (25-16) snapped their four-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Charleston RiverDogs Thursday night in Charleston, SC. With the win, and Augusta’s 11-4 loss to the Greenville Drive, the Gnats are now tied for first place in the SAL Southern Division.

The Gnats scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to take a 4-2 lead when LF Juan Lagares delivered a two-run bases loaded single that broke a 2-2 tie. RF Cesar Puello began the inning with a single into left field, and after consecutive strikeouts, CF Pedro Zapata walked to put runners at first and second. SS Wilmer Flores reached on an error on Charleston SS Kelvin Castro that loaded the bases. Lagares followed with a single into left field scoring Puello and Zapata to give Savannah their 4-2 lead.

DH Rafael Fernandez’s solo home run leading off the ninth inning made it 5-2 Savannah.

The Gnats took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Puello singled with one out. He scored on 2B Alonzo Harris’ two-out RBI double. Harris, in turn, came home on Zapata’s triple into center field.

Savannah starter Darin Gorski danced around base runners in each of the first four innings before giving up his only run in the fifth. Consecutive doubles from 2B Jimmy Paredes and DH JR Murphy at the top of Charleston’s order cut the Gnats’ lead to 2-1. Gorski gave up just one run in five innings on eight hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out three.

Gnats right-hander Taylor Whitenton relieved Gorski and started well, striking out the side in the sixth. However, Charleston tied the game at 2-2 with three straight one-out singles in the seventh. After Charleston tied the game, Whitenton set down the final eight batters in a row with three strikeouts to earn the win. Overall, Whitenton struck out seven in his four innings without issuing a walk.