Gnats Game Notes: Sunday, April 18

From Press Release:

Savannah Sand Gnats (6-4, 2nd, Southern) vs. Rome Braves (5-5, t-3rd, Southern)

Game #11 - Road Game #3 - Sunday – 2:00

RHP Armando Rodriguez (0-1, 4.15) vs. LHP Chris Masters (0-1, 0.00)

State Mutual Stadium - Rome, GA

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



Today: The Gnats look to extend their three-game winning streak when they play game three of their four-game series in Rome and game three on their eight-game road trip to Rome and Augusta. This is Savannah’s second three-game winning streak of the 2010 season.

Last Night: Savannah won 9-2 behind a six-run second inning in which 12 Gnats batted. C Kai Gronauer began the uprising with a double and later drove home a run with a single. In the second inning, CF Pedro Zapata drove home two runs with a bases-loaded single and SS Wilmer Flores singled home a run. Darin Gorski earned the win in his first start, yielding two runs, one earned, in five innings.

Now Pitching: Armando Rodriguez will make his third start for Savannah this afternoon. Rodriguez threw four scoreless innings on Opening Night, but was touched for four runs on six hits, two walks, and two HBP in his last start versus Augusta. Rodriguez pitched for both Kingsport and Savannah in 2009. With Kingsport 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.

Top of the Charts: Gnats pitching leads the SAL with a 2.00 ERA (20 ER/90 IP). Savannah has the best WHIP (0.98) in the league and has allowed the fewest hits (61).

Busy Night: The Gnats’ six runs scored and 12 batters in the second inning last night were their high for any frame this year. The Savannah offense equaled its highest run output of the season (9), originally set on Opening Night. The Gants also rapped out five doubles and drew seven walks in the game, both new highs in the respective categories.

Good Flo: 18-year old SS Wilmer Flores leads the Gnats with a .366 (15 H/41 AB) batting average and five multi-hit games. He has been held hitless in just two of the Gnats first 10 games and is the hardest hitter in the SAL to strikeout with just one whiff in 43 total plate appearances. Flores drove home two runs Saturday night, his first multi-RBI performance.

Gro-ing Well: Catcher Kai Gronauer is third in the SAL with a .500 on base percentage. His .609 slugging percentage leads the Gnats and is ninth in the SAL. Last night, he became the first Gnat to hit two doubles in a game this year in his first three-hit night. Gronauer, who has struck out once in 30 total plate appearances, is the second-toughest hitter to strike out in the SAL behind teammate Wilmer Flores.