Gnats Game Notes: 4/28 vs. LEX

From Press Release:

Savannah Sand Gnats (12-8, t-1st, Southern) vs. Lexington Legends (11-9, 4th, Southern)

Game #21- Home Game #13 Wednesday – 7:05

RHP Armando Rodriguez (0-3, 5.03) vs. RHP Tanner Bushue (1-0, 3.20)

Historic Grayson Stadium - Savannah, GA

Radio: WBMQ News/Talk 630, http://www.sandgnats.com/

Tonight: The first-place Gnats begin a four game set with the Lexington Legends. It is the fifth game of an eight-game home stand on which the Gnats are currently 2-2. The Gnats are tied for first place with Augusta and Greenville with Lexington just one game off the pace in the SAL Southern Division.
Last Night: The Hickory Crawdads beat the Gnats 4-3. Gnats LF Juan Lagares’ two run home run in the first inning gave the Gnats a 2-0 lead which lasted until the third inning, when Hickory CF Miguel Velazquez tied the game at 2-2 with a two run home run of his own. Velazuez doubled home the final two Hickory runs in the fifth. RHP Taylor Whitenton fired four innings of no-hit relief for Savannah with five strikeouts.

Now Pitching: Armando Rodriguez will make his fifth start for Savannah this evening. The Gnats are 1-3 when Rodriguez starts and have supported him with 4.8 runs per game. Rodriguez pitched for both Kingsport and Savannah in 2009. With Kingsport a year ago, he was 3-1 with a 2.96 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 20 walks in 45.2 innings. Promoted to Savannah on August 27th, he finished the year with a dominant three-start performance in which he allowed just five hits in 16.2 innings and struck out 24. The Mets signed Rodriguez as a non-drafted free agent June 6, 2007.

First is not the Worst: The Gnats have had at least a share of first place for a week, since pulling even with Augusta after beating the GreenJackets 9-4 on April 21. The Gnats have been tied for first on five of those seven days, and had first all to themselves twice.

Lagares’ Longballs: Last night, Juan Lagares lifted his third home run of the year. Lagares did not homer for Savannah in 47 games last year and had two in 2007 in 83 games and two in 2008 in 46 games. His three home runs already equal a career high. He is third in the SAL with 44 total bases (TB) and tied for the league lead with three triples.

Pitching and Defense: Gnats have the second-best ERA in the SAL (3.03) and have allowed the fewest runs (70) in the league. Rome and Charleston have allowed the second-fewest (76). Only Asheville (7) has allowed fewer unearned runs than the Gnats 10.

Good Flo: Gnats shortstop Wilmer Flores has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games. The 18-year old is fourth in the league with nine doubles and is tied for fifth in the SAL with 11 extra-base hits. …. Flores is the fourth toughest hitter in the SAL to strikeout (9.56 PA/SO).

Who’s Hot: Alex Gregory has hit safely in his last four games over which time he is 8-for-25 (.320) with one double and two RBI…Pedro Zapata has hit .366 (15-for-41) with 13 runs scored in the team’s last ten games… Kai Gronauer had his seven-game hit streak snapped last night, but remains the hardest hitter in the SAL to strikeout (20.33 PA/SO).

Who’s Not: Jefry Marte is 3-for-27 (.111) since returning from the disabled list… 1B Jeff Flagg, who delivered the game winning hit Sunday is hitting just 182 (6-for-33) in his last eight games.
Four for Sure: Savannah is 12-1 when scoring four or more runs and 0-7 when scoring three runs or fewer. When Gnats pitching allows fewer than four runs, the team is 9-3. When the Gnats allow four or more runs at home, the team is 1-3.