Gnats Game Notes: Friday, July 9 @ Asheville - 7:05 pm

from press release


Savannah Sand Gnats  vs. Asheville Tourists

Game #86 - Road Game #42 - Friday – 7:05

RHP John Church (4-0, 1.14) vs. LHP Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.41

McCormick Field, Asheville, NC

Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, http://www.sandgnats.com/

Tonight: The first-half champion Gnats, who have won two in a row for the first time in the second half, look to make it three in a row in game two of a five-game set in Asheville.


Last Night: The Sand Gnats beat up on Asheville 11-6. Five different Gnats had two hits. Savannah scored four times in the top of the fifth inning to eliminate a 3-2 deficit and never trailed again. LF RJ Harris was 2-3 with his second Savannah home run, two walks, two RBI and three runs scored. 1B Travis Ozga was 2-5 with 5 RBI, tying a Gnats’ season-high.


Now Pitching: John Church is scheduled to make his third start of the year for the Sand Gnats. Church has yet to allow a run in his 11 innings as a starter. As a starter, Church has struck out five, walked two and given up just five hits. Church leads all Gnats pitchers who have made more than four appearances with his 1.14 ERA. If he had enough innings to qualify, he would lead the SAL in ERA. Church made 22 relief appearances before his first start in 2010 and made 21 relief appearances with Savannah last year and one with Brooklyn in the New York-Penn League. With Savannah last year, Church was 1-4 with a 5.28 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 29 innings. The Mets drafted Church in the 23rd round of the 2009 amateur draft out of the University of West Florida.



Vs. Asheville: The Gnats are 4-6 against the Tourists this year, 3-6 at home and 1-0 in Asheville. The two teams are scheduled for 18 games this year, 14 of which will be played in the second half. The Gnats were 5-7 against the Tourists last year. The Gnats are 17-24 against the Tourists as a Mets affiliate.



Last night, Travis Ozga became the second Gnat with five RBI in a game this year, joining SS Wilmer Flores, who accomplished the feat on April 20, in Savannah’s 11-3 win in Rome. Ozga has hit .371/.425/.514 in his 12 games with Savannah.

Cesar Puello is hitting .309 (17-for-55) with four doubles, five walks and five strikeouts in 14 games since the All-Star Break. He was 0-2 last night, but reached base three times thanks to two walks and a HBP and scored three runs.


Alonzo Harris has hit safely in four straight games over which time he is hitting.385(5-for-13) with a double and three RBI. It’s the fourth time this year that he has hit safely in at least four straight games. His best hitting streak of the year was a six-game run from April 19-24. He’s drawn four walks in his last five games after drawing 10 in his first 71.