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See-Saw Game Goes To BlueClaws
08/11/2009 11:59 PM ET
By Mike Passanisi / Savannah Sand Gnats

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The BlueClaws' six unanswered runs over the seventh and eighth innings led Lakewood to an, 8-4, victory over the Sand Gnats Tuesday evening. Rob Roth (4-2) won the game for Lakewood while John Church (0-2) suffered his second loss and Eryk McConnell notched his first save.

With the Gnats up, 4-2, heading into the seventh, Lakewood began its second comeback of the game against Phillips Orta when Troy Hanzawa singled to start the inning. After Orta retired the next two batters, Jesus Villegas singled in Hanzawa to pull Lakewood within one and chase Orta from the game.

Church was called in and immediately walked Travis d'Arnaud and Brendan Akashian to load up the bases with two away. A two-out single brought home Villegas and d'Arnaud and the BlueClaws held a lead they would not give back.

Savannah pitching walked nine batters in the game to tie a season high leading to three of Lakewood's eight runs. Starting pitcher Kyle Allen permitted a lone run in five innings of work and left with the game tied at one before handing it to the bullpen.

Evan LeBlanc gave the Gnats their second lead of the game in the sixth at, 4-2, when his two-out, two-RBI double to right brought in Josh Satin and Raul Reyes. LeBlanc finished the game, 3-for-4 with two RBI. It is the second three-hit game for LeBlanc as a Sand Gnat. Jefry Marte was the only other Savannah batter to record multiple hits as he went 2-for-5.

Savannah (20-23, 55-58) will send 19-year-old Jeurys Familia (9-6, 2.90) to the hill to be its stopper. Familia is going for his 10th win of the year, which would be the most for any Savannah pitcher since before the 2004 season.

It's Humana Night and there will be Baseball Bingo at Wednesday night's 7 p.m. game. For tickets and more information, visit www.sandgnats.com or call 912.351.9150.

-GNATS-

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.