GREENVILLE, S.C.— Left-hander Steven Matz threw a gem and the Sand Gnats’ offense came through in the clutch to lead Savannah to a 3-0 win over Greenville in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.
Matz, a second-round pick in the 2009 draft out of Ward Melville High in New York, allowed three hits while striking out five and walking three in going all seven innings. His performance gave the Gnats’ bullpen some rest on a day when Savannah was scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning contests. Matz lowered his ERA to an impressive 2.28 on the season and improved his record to 3-4.
Greenville starter Justin Haley battled against Matz with an excellent outing of his own. Haley shut the Gnats out over five innings, allowing just one hit while walking five.
The Gnats had just one hit entering the seventh inning, but the Gnats rallied when they needed to.
Catcher Jeff Glenn led off with a single and Brandon Nimmo entered the game as a pinch-runner. Phillip Evans walked and Chad Zurcher followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Kyle Johnson delivered with an RBI single to left to put the Gnats up 1-0. Maikis De La Cruz and Stefan Sabol followed with sacrifice flies on consecutive at-bats to give Matz some breathing room in the bottom of the seventh.
Matz set down the Drive in order in their final at-bats, striking out Dreily Guerrero to end the game.
Savannah improved to 50-34 overall this season and 7-8 in the second half of the Class A South Atlantic League season. Greenville dropped to 8-8 in the second half, 30-55 overall.
Due to a pair of rain delays, the second game of the doubleheader started late and was not completed by press time.
Savannah ab r h bi Greenville ab r h bi
Zurcher 2b 2 1 2 0 Betts ss 2 0 1 0
Johnson cf 4 0 1 1 Vinicio 2b 3 0 0 0
MDlaCrz rf 2 0 0 1 Turocy rf 2 0 1 0
Sabol lf 2 0 0 1 Chester 1b 2 0 0 0
Frenzel 1b 2 0 0 0 Martinez dh 3 0 0 0
Pina dh 2 0 0 0 Hernandez c 3 0 0 0
Rynolds 3b 3 0 0 0 Heller lf 3 0 1 0
Glenn c 3 0 1 0 Guerrero 3b 3 0 0 0
Nimmo pr 0 1 0 0 Sanchez cf 1 0 0 0
Cordero c 0 0 0 0
Evans ss 2 1 0 0
Totals 22 3 4 3 Totals 22 0 3 0
Savannah 000 000 3—3
Greenville 000 000 0—0
E—Zurcher. DP—Savannah 2. LOB—Savannah 8, Greenville 5. SF—M.De La Cruz. SB—M.De La Cruz. CS—Betts, Sanchez, Johnson.
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Matz W,3-4 7 3 0 0 3 5
GREENVILLE IP H R ER BB SO
Haley 5 1 0 0 5 0
Olivares L,2-4 2 3 3 3 2 0
HBP—M. De La Cruz (by Haley), Sanchez (by Matz). T—2:12.