Gnats Win 10th Straight Game on July 4th

It took 10 innings for the Savannah Sand Gnats to defeat the Rome Braves 6-5 in the first game of the three game series in front of 3,937 fans at Grayson Stadium on July 4th.

Rome scored 4 runs in the 4th inning highlighted by a 3 run home run by cEvan Gattis. The Braves had 12 hits for the game, 2bTommy La Stella had 4 hits and ssMatt Weaver had 3 hits.

Savannah scored 2 runs in the 1st inning. cfDarrell Ceciliani walked, scored on a triple by ssWilfredo Tovar . Tovar scored on a ground out.

In the 4th inning, dhJoe Bonfe tripled and scored on a ground out. Gnats scored 2 in the 5th when 3bAderline Rodriquez doubled to score 2 runs.

Rome tied the game at 5-5 in their 9th inning.

In the 10th inning, Tovar was hit by a pitch. rfRaferal Fernandez laid down a perfect bunt for a single, folowed by a throwing error by the third baseman, allowed Tovar to reach third base and he was tagged out in a run down between third and home. Meanwhile, Fernandez took third base on the run down. With 2 strikes, c Albert Cordero hit a line drive single to center to drive in the winning run.

For the game, Savannah had 7 hits. Cordero was 2-for-4.

Starting Savannah Sand Gnat pitcher, Yohan Almonte, went 6 2/3 innings, allowed 8 hits, 4 runs, 1BB and struck out 2. Hamilton Bennett pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowed 1 run on 4 hits and struck out 2. Winning pitcher, Ronny Morla, (1-0) pitched the 10 inning and struck out 1.

Photo courtesy of Ed DeVita, Editor of The Savannah Sports Monthly.