WEDNESDAY’S GAMES: Savannah Sand Gnats 5-0, Greensboro Grasshoppers 2-1
ON THE RECORD: Greensboro 17-23 second half, 63-47 overall; Sand Gnats 18-22, 59-48.
SEEING STARS: The Sand Gnats took the opener, 5-2, with three runs in the fourth inning and two in the sixth.
Greensboro had led 2-0 in the fourth on Ryan Rieger’s RBI-single and Wilfredo Gimenez’s RBI-double. Savannah responded quickly.
Matt Reynolds and Gilbert Gomez led off with back-to-back singles. After Cam Maron’s forceout erased Gomez, Brian Harrison and Dustin Lawley delivered RBI-singles to tie the game, and Greg Pron gave Savannah the lead when his sacrifice fly scored Harrison.
In the sixth, Pron singled, Cole Frenzel doubled and Albert Cordero came through with an RBI-single. Frenzel scored on Yucarybert De La Cruz’s forceout.
In the nightcap, neither team could score until Greensboro plated one runner in the seventh for a 1-0 victory and split of the doubleheader.
Savannah pitcher Carlos Vazquez entered in relief of starter Alex Panteliodis and struck out John Schultz. But he gave up a single to Tony Caldwell and walked Ryan Goetz.
Brent Keyes, the Class A South Atlantic League’s leading hitter (.344), then provided the big hit, a single to left to score Caldwell.
DECISION MAKING: Brandon Sage, who spent some time in Savannah during the 2010 and ’11 seasons, has returned to the Gnats after missing most of this season recovering from injury. In his second appearance, the left-hander went 1 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed one hit with one strikeout for his first win in the opener. Chasen Bradford, the winner of Tuesday’s 2-1 extra-inning game, collected his third save. Greensboro starter Charlie Lowell (5-5) took the loss.
In the second game, Greensboro pitcher Brad Mincey (3-2) got the win with two scoreless innings in relief of starter Gregory Nappo (five scoreless innings, eight strikeouts, one walk).
Vazquez (5-2) got the loss in relief of Alex Panteliodis, who lowered his ERA to 3.20 with six shutout innings (seven strikeouts, one walk).
ON DECK: The Sand Gnats conclude their four-game homestand with Greensboro, a Miami Marlins affiliate, at 7:05 p.m. today. Savannah left-hander Jimmy Fuller (3-3, 7.13 ERA) is slated to start against Grasshoppers righty Josh Hodges (6-7, 3.71).
PROMOTIONS: It’s Thristy Thursday (half-priced beverages) and Ladies Night presented by Atlantic Feet and Ankle Specialists with $3 drink specials. Go to facebook.com/atlanticfeet for special ticket offers.
GAME 1
SAND GNATS 5, GRASSHOPPERS 2
Greensboro ab r h bi Savannah ab h r bi
Keys cf 4 0 0 0 Reynolds ss 2 1 1 0
Barnes 2b 4 0 2 0 Gomez cf 4 0 2 0
Senne dh 4 1 1 0 Maron dh 2 1 0 0
Adams 3b 3 0 1 0 Harrisn 3b 3 1 1 1
Nola ss 3 0 0 0 Lawley lf 3 0 1 1
Wooster lf 3 1 1 0 Pron rf 2 1 1 1
Rieger 1b 3 0 1 1 Frenzel 1b 3 1 2 0
Gimenez c 3 0 2 1 Cordero c 3 0 1 1
McIntyre rf 3 0 1 0 DeLaCruz 3 0 0 0 1
Totals 30 2 9 2 Totals 25 5 9 5
Greensboro 000 200 0 — 2
Savannah 000 302 x — 5
E—Reynolds 2. DP—Greensboro 1. LOB—Greensboro 9, Savannah 6. 2B—Wooster, Gimenez, Frenzel. 3B—McIntyre. SF—Pron. CS—Keys.
GREENSBORO IP H R ER BB SO
Lowell L,5-5 4 1/3 6 3 3 2 2
Cargill 1 2/3 3 2 2 1 2
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Fulmer 4 2/3 7 2 0 2 2
Sage W,1-0 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1
Bradford S,3 1 1 0 0 0 0
WP—Fulmer, Sage. T—2:18.
GAME 2
GRASSHOPPERS 1, SAND GNATS 0
Greensboro ab r h bi Savannah ab h r bi
Keys cf 4 0 1 1 De La Cruz ss 3 0 1 0
Barnes 2b 4 0 1 0 Gomez cf 2 0 0 0
Senne lf 4 0 1 0 Lawley 3b 3 0 1 0
Adams 3b 2 0 1 0 Harrisn dh 3 0 0 0
Nola ss 3 0 0 0 Pron lf 3 0 0 0
Smith 1b 3 0 0 0 Frenzel 1b 3 0 1 0
Schultz dh 3 0 0 0 Carrillo c 3 0 1 0
Caldwell c 3 1 1 0 Maron pr 0 0 0 0
Goetz rf 2 0 1 0 Thurber rf 2 0 0 0
Brown 2b 2 0 0 0
Totals 28 1 6 1 Totals 25 0 4 0
Greensboro 000 000 1 — 1
Savannah 000 000 0 — 0
E—Frenzel. LOB—Greensboro 8, Savannah 5. 2B—Frenzel. SAC—Gomez.
GREENSBORO IP H R ER BB SO
Nappo 5 2 0 0 1 8
Mincey W,3-2 2 2 0 0 0 0
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Panteliodis 6 4 0 0 1 7
Vazquez L,5-2 1 2 1 1 1 2
WP—Nappo, Panteliodis 2. T—2:03. A—1,426.