Intimidators four late runs swat Gnats
Savannah, GA - Logan Verrett was perfect into the fifth inning, but the Kannapolis Intimidators struck for four runs in the final two innings against the Gnats' imperfect bullpen for a come-from-behind 6-3 win at Historic Grayson Stadium Monday night.
Verrett retired the first 14 batters he faced before RF Bill Rice singled into right field with two outs in the fifth inning. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits in the fifth inning resulting in a 2-2 tie. Verrett recovered to retire the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings. All told, he set down the side in order in six of his seven frames. Verrett struck out six batters and did not walk a batter in his seven innings of work.
The Gnats (13-18/54-44) built a 2-0 lead on a pair of RBI hits from LF Dustin Lawley. In the first inning, CF Gilbert Gomez doubled, and scored the game's first run on Lawley's single into leftfield. In the fourth inning, Lawley launched a solo homerun to leftfield, his second homer in his last five games.
After the Intimidators (13-17/46-54) evened the game in the fifth, Savannah regained the lead in the sixth again, with Lawley's help. Lawley walked and then scored on DH Matt Reynolds' sacrifice fly to center to put Savannah ahead 3-2.
Kannapolis took a lead in a three-run eighth. 2B Joey DeMichele drove a two-run triple up the right-center field gap against Savannah reliever Randy Fontanez to put Kannapolis in front. The Intimidators added a run in the ninth off reliever Jared West on a solo homerun.
The Gnats will hand the ball to RHP Jacob deGrom (5-3, 2.55) against Kannapolis RHP Chris Hanna (1-0, 4.62) Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Gates at Historic Grayson Stadium open at 6 pm and the radio broadcast, presented by Subway, begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 6:45 pm.
Verrett retired the first 14 batters he faced before RF Bill Rice singled into right field with two outs in the fifth inning. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits in the fifth inning resulting in a 2-2 tie. Verrett recovered to retire the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings. All told, he set down the side in order in six of his seven frames. Verrett struck out six batters and did not walk a batter in his seven innings of work.
The Gnats (13-18/54-44) built a 2-0 lead on a pair of RBI hits from LF Dustin Lawley. In the first inning, CF Gilbert Gomez doubled, and scored the game's first run on Lawley's single into leftfield. In the fourth inning, Lawley launched a solo homerun to leftfield, his second homer in his last five games.
After the Intimidators (13-17/46-54) evened the game in the fifth, Savannah regained the lead in the sixth again, with Lawley's help. Lawley walked and then scored on DH Matt Reynolds' sacrifice fly to center to put Savannah ahead 3-2.
Kannapolis took a lead in a three-run eighth. 2B Joey DeMichele drove a two-run triple up the right-center field gap against Savannah reliever Randy Fontanez to put Kannapolis in front. The Intimidators added a run in the ninth off reliever Jared West on a solo homerun.
The Gnats will hand the ball to RHP Jacob deGrom (5-3, 2.55) against Kannapolis RHP Chris Hanna (1-0, 4.62) Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Gates at Historic Grayson Stadium open at 6 pm and the radio broadcast, presented by Subway, begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 6:45 pm.