Game #137 - Road Game #67 - Saturday - 7:05
RHP Yohan Almonte (7-8, 4.11) vs. RHP David Martinez (5-6, 3.94)
Whitaker Bank Ballpark, Lexington, KY
Radio: sandgnats.com only
Tonight: The Gnats play game three of the final regular season series of 2011 in Lexington, KY against the last-place Legends. The Gnats are scheduled to begin the playoffs Wednesday at the home of the #2 seed and return home Friday, September 9 for game two.
Last Night: The Legends took advantage of six walks from Savannah pitching, two errors and a passed ball to beat the Gnats 7-3. 3B Dustin Lawley, who was added to the roster from Kingsport Thursday, was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the eighth inning in his Savannah debut.
Now Pitching: Yohan Almonte is scheduled to make his team-leading 23rd start of the year today. In his last three starts, he is 1-2 with a 7.20 ERA (12 ER/15 IP) with one walk, seven strikeouts and an opponents’ batting average of .338 (22 H/65 AB). He is fifth in the League in lowest unintentional walk rate (1.93 BB-IBB/9 IP) and fourth in fewest baserunners overall per 9/IP (11.01). Eleven of the 15 homeruns he has given up this year have come on the road where opponents have hit .275 against him compared to .237 at home. In 2010, Almonte led the New York-Penn League in ERA (1.91), IP (89.2) and WHIP (0.93). He had the second-lowest batting average against among New York-Penn League starters at .207 and the third-lowest unintentional walk/9 IP (1.41) with a K/BB ratio of 4 (60 K/15 BB). The Mets signed Almonte as a non-drafted free agent in 2007. The Gnats are 11-11 when Almonte starts and have supported him with 3.77 runs per game.
Blake Bashing: Blake Forsythe has hit safely in eight straight games, setting a new personal season-best. He’s 13-for-32 (.406) in that span with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI, four walks and 10 strikeouts. After a .648 OPS in the first half, he’s up to .826 in the second half.
New Contributors: The three players the Gnats added to the roster Thursday, CF/3B Dustin Lawley, C Cam Maron and SS/2B Juan Gamboa have each had a hit in every game in which they have played. In their four combined games, the trio has gone 6-for-14 (.429), with a double, a triple, a home run and four RBI.
Wire-to-Wire: The Gnats are attempting to win both halves in the Southern Division, something no team has done in either division in the SAL since the Capital City Bombers accomplished the feat as a Mets affiliate in 2004.
Playoff Chase: The Gnats lead the SAL Southern Division by one game over the Augusta GreenJackets, 1.5 games over the Greenville Drive and two games over the Asheville Tourists with three games to play for all teams except the Drive, who have four games remaining after getting postponed Friday. If the Gnats win the second half, they will face the Greenville Drive, who clinched finishing with the second-best overall record in the division. If Augusta, Asheville or Greenville wins the second half, that team will be the Gnats’ first-round playoff opponent. Entering play Saturday, there are still potential scenarios that would produce a tie at the top of the Southern Division that would necessitate a one game playoff Tuesday, or in the event of a three-way tie, a two game playoff Tuesday and Wednesday.
Arms Race: The Gnats still lead the SAL in ERA (3.27), WHIP (1.22) and fewest hits allowed (1053). The Gnats are fifth in strikeouts (1034) and have allowed the sixth fewest walks (420).
Vs. Lexington: The Gnats are 9-6 against the Legends this year, 6-3 at home and 3-3 on the road.
Playoff Schedule: Barring a three-way tie for first place in the Southern Division in the second half, Savannah will play the number two seed in the best-of-three Southern Division Championship series beginning on the road on Wednesday, September 7, returning to Savannah on Friday, September 9, for game two. Game three, if necessary, will be held Saturday, September 10. If the Gnats advance, the best-of-five SAL Championship Series will begin at the home of the Northern Division team on Monday, September 12, returning to Savannah on Thursday, September 15.
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