Lexington Beats Savannah

The Savannah Sand Gnats fell to the Lexington Legends 6-5 on Friday at Whitaker Bank Ballpark on a thirteenth inning walk-off single by SS Humberto Arteaga. After rallying in the seventh to tie the game, the Gnats bullpen combined for seven scoreless innings before Robert Coles surrendered the final game-winning run.  

Savannah starter Robert Gsellman struggled early, allowing 10 hits and a season-high five earned runs through five and one-thirds innings. 1B Frank Schwindel put Lexington on the board in the first, knocking in DH Ramon Torres with an RBI sac-fly. The duo performed the same trick in the third inning, when Schwindel again plated Torres from third with a sacrifice fly-out to put Lexington up 2-0.

Gsellman tried to remain in control but loaded the bases with three straight singles to open up the sixth. Lexington took advantage, plating 3B Mauricio Ramos on a LF Fred Ford groundout. Gsellman was lifted for lefty John Mincone, who promptly allowed an inherited run to score on yet another sac-fly- this time from 2B Carlos Garcia. Lexington finally scored on a hit, when CF Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado singled home Arteaga to put the Legends in the driver’s seat 5-0.

The wheels fell off for Lexington in the seventh when reliever Luke Farrell served up back-to-back bases-loaded singles, first to to DH Matt Oberste and then to C Jeff Glenn. With the bases still loaded, LF Stefan Sabol was forced home when Farrell hit CF Patrick Biondi with a pitch. Oberste then scored on sacrifice-fly by SS Gavin Cecchini. Next, Glenn crossed the plate on a single up the middle by 2B L.J. Mazzilli to tie the game.

Reliever Tim Peterson then pitched two perfect innings, striking out three to give the Gnats a chance to take the lead in extras. Savannah threatened in the tenth inning when Glenn hit a one-out double off of Farrell. Savannah, however, could not plate his pinch runner, Jorge Rivero.

Savannah lefty Paul Paez put up two more zeros for the Gnats, issuing a walk and striking out one.

Gnats reliever Robert Coles did his best to suppress the Legends in the thirteenth inning, but allowed the game winning RBI-single to Arteaga with just one out left to go.

The often reliable Gnats 3B Jeff McNeil stumbled Friday, going 0-for-6 and halting his consecutive-game hit streak at 14. - team press release