Jimmy Fuller's No-Hit Bid Falls Short

Afterfailing to hold a 7-2 lead to fall 9-7 in the opening game of a doubleheader,the Savannah Sand Gnats had no trouble maintaining a 1-0 advantage in game twoto earn a split with the Charleston RiverDogs. The Gnats’ two wins in theseries have both been by 1-0 margins.

In game two, starter JimmyFuller was sensational in his second start of the year on the way to ano-hit bid. After walking the leadoff man in the first inning, Fuller retiredthe next 15 batters in a row. His pitch count forced him from the game afterfive hitless innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Reliever TJ Chism gaveup back-to-back singles to the first two hitters he faced in the sixth inning,but retired the next six in a row as Savannah pitching faced just three overthe minimum in the game.

AderlinRodriguez provided most of the offense for the Gnats (6-11/47-37) in gametwo. He had two of the team’s three hits, and drove home C Cam Maron with the game’s only run in the bottom of the fourthinning with a double off the warning track in leftfield.

The Gnats built a 7-2 lead in game one thanks to a four-run secondinning and then a three-run fifth highlighted by LF Dustin Lawley’s two-run homerun.

However, the RiverDogs (10-7/49-35) tied the game with a five-runsixth inning off relievers MarcosCamarena and Randy Fontanez.Dogs’ third baseman Dante Bichette Jr.evened the score at 7-7 with a three-run homerun to leftfield. In the seventh,CF Ben Gamel tripled home two runs toput Charleston out in front.

The Gnats and Dogs conclude their five-game series, and theirseason series, Sunday at 2:05 pm. Savannah will hand the ball to RHP Domingo Tapia (4-2, 3.62) whileCharleston will counter with RHP ScottieAllen (3-5, 5.10).  Gates at HistoricGrayson Stadium open at 1 pm. The radio broadcast, presented by Subway, beginson News/Talk 630 and online at 1:45 pm.