Gnats Game Notes: Friday, August 6 @ Charleston - 7:05 pm

from press release:
Savannah Sand Gnats @ Charleston RiverDogs 

Game #111 - Road Game #58 - Friday – 7:05

RHP Armando Rodriguez (6-6, 3.18) vs. RHP Sean Black (5-7, 4.30)

Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, Charleston, SC

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



Today: The first-half-champion Gnats begin a five-game series in Charleston, S.C against the RiverDogs, the SAL affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Gnats return home on Thursday, August 12 to host the Kannapolis Intimidators.



Last Night: Rome completed a four-game sweep of the Gnats with a 1-0 victory. The Braves scored the game’s only run on a throwing error by pitcher Collin McHugh in the fifth inning. RF Cesar Puello was a perfect 3-3 with a walk, while CF R.J. Harris was 2-4.


Now Pitching: Armando Rodriguez, who started the last Gnats’ win, a 5-0 shutout of Augusta on Sunday, is scheduled to make his team-leading 22nd start for Savannah. Rodriguez fired seven shutout innings in last start with seven strikeouts against one walk and four hits. Rodriguez is now 10th in the SAL in ERA (3.18), fifth in strikeouts (102), fourth in WHIP (1.11) and third in opponents’ batting average (.211). The Gnats are 11-10 when Rodriguez throws and have supported him with 4.80 runs per game, the third-most among the eight pitchers who have started for Savannah in 2010. With Kingsport a year ago, he was 3-1 with a 2.96 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 20 walks in 45.2 innings. Promoted to Savannah on August 27th, he finished the year with a dominant three-start performance in which he allowed just five hits in 16.2 innings and struck out 24. The Mets signed Rodriguez as a non-drafted free agent June 6, 2007.



Cesar Puello was 3-3 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to a Gnats’ season-best 15 straight. His 15-game hitting streak is tied for fifth-best in the SAL this year. He’s hit safely in 23 of his last 24 games, and has reached base safely in 29 straight, tied for the second-best streak in the league this year. Over his 15-game streak, he’s hitting .475 (28-59) with three doubles, a triple, a home run, five walks and four strikeouts. In his 29-game on-base streak, Puello is hitting .404 with a .496 OBP.

Vs. Charleston: The Gnats are 2-2 against the RiverDogs, having split a series in Charleston in May. The RiverDogs make their only visit to Savannah August 25-28.


Roster Update: Thursday, Gnats All-Star Jimmy Fuller was promoted to advanced-A St. Lucie and RHP Sammy Martinez was activated from the disabled list. After making just 29 transactions in the first half, the Gnats are up to 34 with a month to play in the second half.