Jorge Rivero got the celebration started at Grayson Stadium on Saturday night by lining an RBI single that scored Champ Stuart with the winning run as the Gnats beat visiting Rome in walk-off fashion 4-3.
It made the fireworks that followed all the more enjoyable for a crowd of 2,332 that hung around until the end of a great ball game.
Stuart led off the final frame with a walk, and Dominic Smith followed with a bunt single. Matt Oberste moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt before Rome pitcher Andy Otero intentionally walked Cole Frenzel to load the bags with one out and set up Rivero’s heroics.
Rome scored a run in the top of the ninth off reliever Hunter Carnevale to tie the game at 3-3. With the bases loaded and one out, a ball got past Gnat’s catcher Jeff Glenn, but he was able to recover and retire the runner at home with Carnevale covering. But Carnevale threw a wild pitch while striking out Edison Sanchez, allowing Johan Camargo to score the tying run.
Rome got on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Gerald Chin started the rally with a one-out single and scored on a double to left by Connor Oliver. Victor Caratini delivered with two outs with an RBI single to right to score Oliver and put Rome ahead 2-0.
The Gnats responded with three runs in the fifth. Yeixon Ruiz provided the big blow with a two-run single to left, following up an RBI single by Rivero earlier in the inning.
Savannah starter Chris Flexen had a solid outing — going 6 1/3 innings, while scattering seven hits and allowing a pair of earned runs.
Relievers Dawrin Frias and Bret Mitchell pitched well — combining for 1 2/3 shutout innings
Frias got a boost from the Sand Gnat defense in the top of the seventh. With runners at the corners, Caratini lifted a ball to center, where Stuart made the catch before firing a strike to Glenn at home, where he put the tag on Chin for the inning-ending double play.
Carnevale picked up his third win of the season against no losses.
Savannah improved to 6-4 in the second half and 50-26 on the season. The Gnats host Rome in the third game of a four-game series today with the first pitch set for 2:05 p.m.
Notes
The Sand Gnats placed RHP Tyler Vanderheiden (right shin contusion) and INF Nelfi Zapata (right ankle contusion) on the disabled list Savannah, retroactive to Friday. ... INF Cole Frenzel transferred from St. Lucie to Savannah and RHP Bret Mitchell was reinstated from the St. Lucie disabled list and transferred to the Savannah roster.
Rome ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
Oliver cf 4 1 1 1 Biondi rf 4 0 1 0
Camargo ss 4 1 0 0 Stuart cf 3 1 0 0
Caratini c 4 0 1 1 Smith 1b 4 0 1 0
Curcio pr 0 0 0 0
Giardina c 0 0 0 0
Sanchez 1b 4 0 1 0 Oberste dh 3 1 1 0
Franco 3b 4 0 0 0 Frenzel 3b 3 1 1 0
Reyes rf 4 0 3 0 Rivero 2b 4 1 2 2
Wilson dh 4 0 1 0 Sabol lf 2 0 0 0
Lien lf 3 0 0 0 Ruiz ss 2 0 2 2
Chin 2b 4 1 3 0 Glenn c 3 0 0 0
Totals 35 3 10 2 Totals 28 4 8 4
Rome 002 000 001 — 3
Savannah 000 030 001 — 4
E—Rivero. DP—Savannah 1. LOB—Rome 11, Savannah 4. 2B—Oliver, Reyes 2. SAC—Ruiz, Oberste. CS—Lien, Biondi.
ROME IP H R ER BB SO
Gil 7 6 3 3 0 6
Otero L,0-4 1 1/3 2 1 1 3 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Flexen 6 1/3 7 2 2 3 3
Frias 2/3 0 0 0 1 0
Mitchell 1 2 0 0 0 1
Carnevale W,3-0 1 1 1 1 2 1
WP—Gil, Carnevale. T—2:52. A—2,332.