Championship Series Game 3 - Thursday - 7:05
RHP Taylor Whitenton (5-5, 2.49/0-0, 2.70) vs. LHP James Leverton (3-2, 1.61/1-0, 0.00)
Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah, GA
Radio: News/Talk 630 and http://www.sandgnats.com/
Tonight: With the series tied 1-1, the Southern Division Champion Gnats will play game three of the best-of-five South Atlantic League Championship Series against the Northern Division Champion Greensboro Grasshoppers at Historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah.
Last Game: The Gnats beat the Grasshoppers 7-3 on Tuesday night to even the SAL Championship Series at 1-1. With the game tied 2-2 after two innings, the Gnats scored five unanswered runs from the third through eighth innings to take control of the game, establishing a 7-2 advantage. Luis Nieves homered in the seventh inning to put the Gnats ahead 5-2, his first long ball since August 23, 2010 after 87 homerless games in the regular season in 2011 and 100 overall between 2010 and 2011. Aderlin Rodriguez added a two-run blast in the eighth. Yohan Almonte, working as a reliever, tossed five shutout innings, in his first Savannah playoff appearance, for the win.
Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton, who threw in relief of Johan Santana last Friday, will make his second playoff appearance tonight. Whitenton struck out six in 3.1 innings while giving up a run on three hits and two walks last Friday in the Gnats’ 3-2 win over Augusta. During the regular season, his .193 opponents’ batting average led the South Atlantic League, as did his 2.49 ERA. After a 3.34 ERA in the first half with a 2.5 K/BB ratio (70 K/28 BB) in 56.2 innings, he pitched to a 1.63 ERA with a 2.45 K/BB ratio (49/20) in 55.1 IP in the second half. In the first half, he walked 4.4 batters per nine innings pitched, a rate that dropped to 3.25 BB/9 in the second half. In 2010 with the Gnats, Whitenton walked 5.7 batters/9 IP (68 BB/108.1 IP) finished 2011 at 3.9 BB/9 (48 BB/112 IP). Last year, Whitenton was 8-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 18 starts and eight relief appearances. Whitenton started game two of the Division Championship Series last year against Greenville and gave up five runs on four hits and three walks while fanning four in five innings in the Gnats’ 5-4 loss that eliminated them from the post-season. In 2011, the Gnats are 14-8 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 3.68 runs per game, the second-lowest run support among Gnats starters who have made more than two starts.
Sterling Gnats in New York: Yesterday, LHP Angel Cuan was named as the 2011 Sterling Award Winner for the Savannah Sand Gnats and catcher Cam Maron was named the winner for the Kingsport Mets. Both players visited Citi Field in New York City on Wednesday. Three former Gnats from the 2009 team earned Sterling awards as well: Organization Player of the Year Josh Satin, AAA award winner RHP Chris Schwinden and AA winner RHP Jeurys Familia.
The Importance of Game Three: Every single SAL team with a 2-1 lead in the Championship Series since 2001 has gone on to win the League Championship. Only once in the last ten years has the SAL Championship Series gone a full five games.
Road Homers: The Gnats popped five home runs in the first two games of the SAL Championship Series in Greensboro. During the regular season, the Gnats hit 50 home runs in 69 games on the road as part of a .252/.323/.382 (AVG/OBP/SLG) line as compared to 18 homers at home where the team hit .248/.324/.344.
DC: Darrell Ceciliani has hit safely in each of his last four playoff games since taking an 0-for in game one in Augusta. He is hitting .400 (8-for-20) in the playoffs, leading the Gnats. Through August 1, in his last 34 games between the regular season and post-season, he is hitting .313/.416/.424 with six doubles, four triples and 21 walks against 27 strikeouts in 132 AB.
Savannah Playoff History: The Gnats are looking for their first SAL Championship since 1996 when the team won the League in their first year with the Gnats moniker. The Savannah Cardinals won back-to-back SAL titles in 1993 and 1994. The Gnats are looking for their fourth SAL Championship in the League’s modern era, which dates to the 1980 season, and 10th overall. The Savannah franchise won its first SAL championship in 1906.
Vs. Greensboro: The Gnats are now 4-6 against Greensboro including the regular season and playoffs, 1-3 at home and 3-3 on the road. The ‘Hoppers were the only team to win a series from the Gnats at home at Historic Grayson Stadium in the second half of the regular season where the Gnats had a 6-1-2 record in their nine second half series. In their eight games head-to-head during the regular season, the Gnats outscored the Grasshoppers 42-31.
Location Matters: Including the regular season and playoffs, the Gnats are 50-22 at home, thanks in part to a 23-6 record in one-run games. On the road, Savannah is 31-41 and 4-15 in one-run games. The ‘Hoppers are 46-26 at home and 35-34 on the road.
From team press release
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