Savannah 5 - Kannapolis 0

Savannah's starting pitcher Luis Cessa struck out a career-high 10 batters while blanking the Intimidators over a season-long 7 2/3 innings to propel the Sand Gnats to a shutout victory over the Kannapolis Intimidators, 5-0, on Saturday in front of 3,853 at CMC-NorthEast Stadium. Both pitching staffs worked nine innings without allowing a walk.  

Cessa (3-2) allowed just two base runners on the night, a second-inning double by Josh Richmond and a Patrick Palmeiro infield single in the fifth. The Mets farmhand retired 23 of 25 batters faced before being removed with two outs in the eighth inning after reaching his pitch limit. The win is Cessa's first since April 23. The 10 strikeouts by Cessa are the most by a single pitcher against the Intimidators this season.

Kannapolis starter Brandon Brennan was tagged with a loss despite working a career-long 8.0 innings and matching his career-high with seven strikeouts in his first quality start of the year. At one point, he retired 12 straight batters, including perfect fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Brennan (1-9) gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits with no walks, enduring his South Atlantic League-leading ninth loss and seventh in a row.

Savannah struck for a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Kevin Plawecki led off with a base hit, and Cole Frenzel drove him in with a two-out double off the top of the wall in right-center field. Yucary De La Cruz and Brandon Nimmo doubled while Maika De La Cruz reached base on an Eric Grabe throwing error to open the third inning. All three scored, two crossing the plate on a passed ball and a wild pitch, to build a 4-0 lead.

Savannah's Phillip Evans added a sac-fly to cash Eudy Pina in the seventh for a 5-0 lead.

The Intimidators tacked on three hits against two Sand Gnats relievers. Kannapolis reliever Storm Throne worked a scoreless ninth, striking out two batters.