Gnats Slug Their Way to a 9-5 Victory Wednesday
Savannah, GA - The Gnats' bats busted Rome Braves' pitching for nine runs on 15 hits to lead the Sand Gnats to a 9-5 win Wednesday night at Historic Grayson Stadium. Every member of the Gnats starting lineup had at least one hit.
SS Luis Guillorme set the tone from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-4 with a sacrifice bunt, a double, and two RBIs.
The Gnats (5-7) jumped on top early, with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Guillorme's two-run double brought home the final two runs of the frame.
The Braves (4-7) evened the game at 4-4 with four runs in the top of the fourth against starter RHP Corey Oswalt (2-0, 5.51) 18-year-old SS Ozhaino Albies singled into right to chase home two runs to tie the game.
The Gnats answered right back with four run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Catcher Tyler Moore began the uprising with his first hit of the year, a double down the left field line. He came around to score on a single by CF John Mora. After the Gnats loaded the bases, 2B JC Rodriguez cleared them with a booming standup triple to deep right-centerfield.
Oswalt went 5.2 innings, yielding five runs on 10 hits, to earn his second win of the year. The Gnats turned to LHP Alberto Baldonado and RHPCameron Griffin out of the 'pen, who pitched a combined 3.1 hit-less innings.
Braves reliever Sean Furney, who was on the hill for the Gnats' four-run fourth, took the loss, his first.
The Savannah Sand Gnats will take their show up I-17 to Charleston to face the Riverdogs on Thursday. Thursday will offer the finale of the suspended game from April 19th and a nine-inning affair, all starting at 6:05 pm. Game one will pick-up where we left off in Savannah, with LHPCarlos Valdez (0-0, 1.80) on the bump for the Gnats and RHP Andre Del Bosque will step in for the R'Dogs.
RHP Brad Wieck (0-2, 3.00) will take the hill for the Gnats in game two, while Charleston will send RHP Domingo Acevedo (0-0, 5.40) to the mound. The Sand Gnats return home on Tuesday, April 28th to take on the Delmarva Shorebirds for Two-for-Tuesday at 7:05 PM.