Lexington 9, Savannah 5

Designated hitter Jordan Abruzzo homered twice for the Savannah Sand Gnats (7-8, 42-43) but it wasn’t enough as Lexington topped Savannah, 9-5, in front 5,102 at Applebee’s Park. David Duncan (1-0) earned the win for Lexington despite allowing five runs on nine hits in his 5.1 innings on the hill.

The Gnats jumped out to an early, 1-0, lead in the first when Josh Satin singled Raul Reyes for his 42nd RBI of the season. They would add another in the second when Wilmer Flores plated a run with two-away with a single to left-center field. After 2.5, the Gnats led, 2-0.
Lexington countered in the third when, with two down, Jeurys Familia (6-6) permitted a three-run home run to Albert Cartwright that catapulted Lexington into the lead, 3-2. Abruzzo answered in the fourth with his first home run of the evening to bring the score even at three. Savannah would find itself back in the lead in the fifth when Reyes homered for the fifth time this year.

The, 4-3, lead would be the last one the Sand Gnats would hold as Lexington used a three-run, four-hit inning to chase the starter Familia and take the lead for good. The Legends plated all three of their runs with two away to open up a, 6-4, advantage. Abruzzo would once again homer but this time it pulled the Sand Gnats within one, which is the closest they would come the rest of the way.

Familia didn’t finish the fifth inning for the first time since a loss on May 31 in Asheville and tied a season-high in runs allowed (six). He did strike out seven for the third consecutive game. Jake Goldberg continued his recent success and was the only Savannah hurler not to allow a run in the contest. The South Carolina native pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.