GREENVILLE, S.C. — Savannah sent 12 batters to the plate in a six-run fifth inning and pulled away from the Greenville Drive 9-4 on Friday night at Fluor Field.
The Sand Gnats (63-43, 20-17 second half) have won 10 of their last 13 games and the first two in their four-game series with the Boston Red Sox affiliate.
Savannah’s wild fifth was fueled by some wildness from Greenville pitchers. Five Sand Gnats walked — three with the bases loaded to force in runs — a batter was hit by a pitch and two wild pitches helped Savannah overcome a 3-1 deficit.
Greenville pitchers surrendered 11 base on balls on the night. Six of the nine Gnats starters ended up with at least one base on balls. Brandon Nimmo, who walked twice in the fifth inning, walked four times.
Savannah added timely hitting. Cole Frenzel had a run-scoring single in the fifth and Jeff Reynolds followed with a two-run double.
Albert Cordero finished the night with three hits. Reynolds had two hits and two runs batted in and Jorge Rivero had two hits.
The big fifth inning made a winner of Julian Hilario, who relieved starter Matthew Koch to begin the second inning.
Hilario (6-4) pitched four innings, allowing three runs on six hits, but took advantage of another good night scoring runs on the road. Savannah has produced 31 runs in the first five games of the seven-game road swing which began in Asheville.
Savannah and Greenville continue their four-game series tonight in Greenville at 7:05. The Sand Gnats return to Grayson Stadium on Monday to begin a seven-game homestand with the Charleston RiverDogs, a New York Yankees affiliate.
Savannah ab r h bi Greenville ab r h bi
Rivero 2b 4 2 2 0 Gragnani 2b 4 2 3 0
Nimmo cf 1 1 0 2 Vinicio ss 5 1 1 1
De La Cruz lf 4 1 1 0 Roberson dh 3 0 1 0
Harrison dh 3 1 0 2 Martinez 1b 4 0 2 0
Pron dh 1 0 1 0 Tavarez rf 4 1 2 1
Pina rf 5 0 0 0 Loya cf 3 0 1 0
Frenzel 1b 4 1 1 1 Perkins lf 2 0 0 0
Reynolds 3b 5 1 2 2 Hernandez c 4 0 0 0
Cordero c 4 1 3 0 Briscoe 3b 4 0 0 0
Ponce ss 3 1 0 1
Totals 34 9 10 8 Totals 33 4 10 2
Savannah 100 060 200—9
Greenville 002 100 010—4
E—Reynolds. DP—Savannah 1, Greenville 3. LOB—Savannah 10, Greenville 7. 2B—Reynolds. 3B—Vinicio. SB—De La Cruz.
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BBSO
Koch 1 1 0 0 0 0
Hilario W,6-4 4 6 3 3 2 2
Mesa 2 2/3 2 1 1 1 4
Teufel S,1 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1
GREENVILLE IP H R ER BBSO
Kukuk 4 4 3 3 5 5
McGeary L,1-1 2/3 2 4 4 4 0
Rivera 3 1/3 2 2 2 2 1
Maddox 1 2 0 0 0 0
HBP—Cordero (by McGeary), Gragnani, Loya (by Mesa). WP—Hilario, McGeary, Rivera 2. Balk—Hilario. T—3:23. A—5,905.