Savannah Pre-Game Notes

Today: The Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, look for their fourth straight win in a morning finale of a four-game series against the Rome Braves, SAL affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Gnats have won six of their last seven games and 11 of 15.



Standings Update: The Gnats are now tied with the Asheville Tourists for first place in the SAL Southern Division at 18-18. The Tourists were rained out Sunday in Lexington and are scheduled for a double-header Monday. This is the first time the Gnats have had a share of first place since April 8 when the Gnats were 1-0 following an 8-0 win on Opening Night in West Virginia.



Sunday: The Gnats used a four-run fourth inning to build a 6-0 lead on their way to an 8-3 win over Rome. 1B Sam Honeck was 2-4 with an RBI double and a two-run homer in the decisive fourth inning. Starter Greg Peavey held the Braves to two runs on four hits in six innings to pick up his third win of the year.



Now Pitching: RHP Taylor Whitenton will make his fourth start of the year. Whitenton has thrown 11.2 shutout innings since rejoining the rotation on May 6. Whitenton has not given up an earned run, and just one unearned run in his last 20.2 innings. In that span, he has struck out 25 batters, while walking six. Whitenton finished the 2010 regular season with 68 walks, the second-most in the SAL. Whitenton started and took the loss in game two of the 2010 SAL Southern Division Championship series in which the Greenville Drive swept the Gnats 2-0. In that game on September 10, he gave up five runs on four hits, including a home run, and three walks with four strikeouts in five innings. In 2009, Whitenton threw five scoreless innings over four games in the Gulf Coast League, striking out seven, walking five and yielding just one hit. The Mets drafted Whitenton in the 39th round of the 2009 draft out of Darton (GA) College. The Gnats are 3-0 when Whitenton starts and have supported him with 3.3 runs per game.


Pitching for the Win: The Gnats are 8-11 on the road this year. In every single one of those road wins, Savannah pitching has held their opponents’ to three runs or less.



Protected by the Shields: Robbie Shields is hitting .306/.375/.531 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with eight extra-base hits in 13 games in May after hitting .236/.349/.403 with seven extra-base hits in 20 games in April. He is tied for the SAL lead with four triples. He currently rides a personal-best six game hitting streak over which time he is 11-for-26 (.423) with three doubles, two triples, four runs scored and seven RBI.


Blake Bashing: In his last ten games, catcher Blake Forsythe is hitting .333/.432/.433 with two extra-base hits and six walks. He hit .183/.246/.400 in 16 games in April with four walks.



Pitching to the Top of the Charts: The Gnats lead the SAL in ERA (3.23) and WHIP (1.24). The Gnats have shut out, or held their opponents to one run, nine times in their last 15 games.



May I Have Another? Savannah is 10-4 in May after going 8-14 in April. After a 4.64 ERA in April, Savannah pitchers have a miniscule 1.12 ERA in May. The Gnats scored 3.86 runs per game (85 runs/22 games) in April and are averaging just 3.57 (50 runs/14 games) in April.



Vs. Rome: The Gnats are 5-2 against the Rome Braves in 2011, 2-2 at home and 3-0 on the road.