Gnats Game Notes: Wednesday, June 16 vs. Rome - 7:05

From Press Release:

Savannah Sand Gnats (39-26, t-1st, Southern) vs. Rome Braves (26-38, 7th, Southern)


Game #66 - Home Game #35 - Wednesday – 7:05


LHP Mark Cohoon (6-1, 1.44) vs. RHP David Hale (1-5, 5.98)


Historic Grayson Stadium – Savannah, GA



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



Tonight: The Gnats look for a sweep in their three-game series against the Rome Braves. After a Gnats win and an Augusta loss last night, the Gnats are now tied for first place for the first time since May 21st, when the Gnats and GreenJackets had identical 25-16 records. Savannah finishes the first half with four games in Augusta, Thursday-Sunday, looking for their first playoff berth since 1996.


Last Night: The Gnats broke a 1-1 tie with a pair of runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 3-1 win over Rome.



Now Pitching: Back-to-back SAL Pitcher of the Week award winner, Mark Cohoon will make his 13th Sand Gnats start of the year coming off back-to-back complete game shutouts. In his last 18 innings pitched, Cohoon has struck out 15 batters, walked two, hit a batter and given up just six hits. Cohoon has not allowed a run in his last three starts and now has a 24.1 inning scoreless streak dating back to May 22nd. Cohoon leads the SAL in ERA (1.44) and innings pitched (81.1). His 1.44 ERA is fifth-best in all of Minor League Baseball. The Gnats are 9-3 in Cohoon’s starts and have supported him with 4.75 runs per game, the fourth-best mark among the seven pitchers who have started games for Savannah this year. He spent all of 2009 with Brooklyn in the New York-Penn League where he was 9-2 with a 2.15 ERA in 14 starts. He fanned 70 and walked 20 in 92 innings. His 2.15 ERA was 6th in the League and the Mets recognized him with the team’s Sterling Award as the Cyclones’ MVP. In 2008 with Savannah, Cohoon was 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in seven starts after moving directly from the Kingsport Mets, skipping over Brooklyn. The Mets drafted Cohoon in the 12th round of the 2008 draft out of North Central Texas College.

Hot Now: The Gnats are 9-2 in their last 11 games, outscoring their opponents by a combined 59-32 over that span. Savannah is hitting .293 (110 H/375 AB) over that time. In their last 11 games, the Gnats have made up a three game deficit to pull even with Rome.


Vs. Rome: The Gnats are 11-3 against Rome this year, 6-0 at home and 5-3 in Rome. The two teams are scheduled for 23 games this season. The Gnats and Braves split the season series 11-11 last year. The Gnats are 40-46 against Rome as a Mets affiliate.


Last Championship: The Savannah franchise has not made the playoffs since winning the SAL Championship as the Savannah Cardinals in 1996. The Cardinals beat the Greensboro Hornets 3-2 in the championship series.